An empowered kid is a confident kid. Habits are made stronger with consistent behavior. Knowing this, it’s only right to acknowledge that consistently encouraging kids to be involved in day-to-day decision-making will create long-term confidence in their choices over time. But a self-assured nature doesn’t happen overnight (looking at you, parents who worry they always forgot something important. Don’t worry, you probably didn’t.). For a youngster, it might take a nudge in the right direction to get on the path of self-confidence, awareness, and control.
Luckily, empowering your kids now can help them stay on that path in the long run. Keep reading for kid-empowering strategies that will fit right into your routine, and even better, how they can help your kiddo over time.
Morning Routine
Start off the day with some empowerment. Let your kids practice making choices to turn them into decision-makers in the future.
- Choice of clothing: Let them pick their own clothes. If your kids are younger, offer a few options to make the choice easier. Self-expression is a fundamental part of feeling empowered.
- Breakfast time: Let your kids help prepare the most important meal of the day. They can pour cereal in bowls, mix pancake batter, or set the table. If you have the time, you could let them pick their breakfast from a menu of options the night before.
- Morning affirmations: For something right on the nose, help kids feel empowered by telling them they are. You can lead the way in a call and response type fashion, letting your kids repeat things like “I am strong” and “I am kind”, or, give them an example and then see what they can come up with on their own.
Making Lunch
Continue a you-can-do-it spirit by prepping for lunchtime:
- Sous chef: Ask your kids to help with the process. Give them age-appropriate tools for cutting sandwiches, or better yet, let them make their lunch themselves and/or pack everything into their lunchbox.
- Little reminders: While they make their lunch, write them sweet notes, maybe even mirroring the affirmations from your morning routine
After School
When kids practice leadership, they’re empowered to do right by everyone over time. Let them lead the fun to brush up on all the qualities that will help them be great leaders.
- My own garden: Give them what they need to start their own garden and let them be responsible for maintaining it after school. Choose things that grow easily, like cucumbers or bell peppers.
- Strike up a silly conversation: For a transition from school time to homework time, let your kiddos lead a distraction that isn’t too stimulating, and won’t get them overly-hyped up. Use conversation starters as a twenty-minute activity, and let them lead the fun.
Homework Time
While homework time is already a kid-led task, you can try a few things to make your child feel a little more in control of the situation.
- Break time: When it’s time for a break or a transition from one subject to another, sprinkle in some quick fun with activities like storytelling, drawing, or even a quick dance-off. Let them pick what feels right.
- Homework station: We all work better in environments tailored to our needs. Does your kiddo need a lot of stimulation or a quiet place to hyperfocus? Let them design a little corner of their own to study in however they see fit.
During Chores
Part of feeling empowered is knowing you did a job well done. When it comes to chores, that feeling of accomplishment is no different.
- Chore captain: If you have more than one kid, let them take turns being the chore captain and delegating tasks to others. If this looks like it could be a sticky sibling situation, turn this into a “chore cheerleader” and put them in charge of celebrating their siblings when chores are complete.
- Chore chart: Let your child help decorate a chore chart. Pick out stickers, markers, and fun decorations to make chores something to look forward to.
Other Moments for Together Time
To round us out, here are some other special moments for empowerment that might not be for every day, but are still just as fun.
- Volunteer together: A can-do spirit is strengthened by others’ inspiration. Let your kiddo pick out a volunteer activity to help others. The warm fuzzies that come from a caring attitude never get old.
- Weekend fun: Put your child in charge of planning a weekend activity, with a little bit of guidance if necessary. A bike ride, trip to the park, or an afternoon running through the sprinklers is a great place to start!
