Raising a child is the greatest lifetime achievement adults can accomplish. Rearing a child with high intelligence is challenging but very rewarding as you need to encourage and motivate to keep them engaged. Parenting the high achiever is often akin to walking a tightrope and I have found other parents think that you are bragging or something if you discuss academic abilities. Yet all children have academic and educational needs.
Every parent makes some mistakes, but if one pays attention to some fundamental principles, nurturing a child to achieve their maximum capabilities is a logical process. Balancing mind, body, and spirit is an overriding principle that should rule all modern lives, particularly young, developing children.
Talent Takes Many Forms
Parents need to be fair at all times and not favour one child over the other. Every child has his own unique talents and abilities, and these need to be identified early in life. Encouraging them to develop their strong points are the key to achieving their potential. My three children all have very different academic and sporting abilities and always have had.
Find the Hidden Talents
Giving a child music lessons, dance, or gymnastics at an early age can help identify strengths and gifts. The sooner a child is identified as gifted in a given area, the better for developing those centers in the brain that need early stimulation.
Playing music for babies and toddlers is a key stimulant and helps identify those with natural rhythm and potential musical talent. Left-handed children very often have a propensity for giftedness in music, the arts, and performance arts. Although my son bucks the trend here, being left handed but logical rather than creative in the arts!
Friendly Competition among Siblings
Avoiding too much competitiveness between siblings is important. A little healthy competition is fine, but a parent should avoid developing strong, lifelong rivalries that interfere with good relationships between children.
Stress Academic Success
Parents need to encourage academic excellence. Every child has a maximum ability level that needs to be discovered. If a child is bored and not being challenged in school, they will suffer. Erin was identified early as being academically able and so I have always looked to push her learning on and provide plenty of learning opportunities like 5 Education Apps to Support KS1 Learning or preparing for the 11+
High-Quality Family Interaction
Mum and dad need to spend time with children at dinner and talk about the day and events in their lives. They will appreciate this nightly practice, which brings the family together. Or, if that doesn’t work, the parent can try a daily breakfast meeting with as many family members as possible. As children get older and busier family meals often get harder to coordinate. For us it means that we only eat together a few times a week but that is still an important family time for me.
Family rituals are part of childhood development, and the parent who can keep traditions alive will help the high achiever develop strong social bonds. If this means celebrating Christmas in a particular way or inviting a child’s friends over on weekends, this encourages routines and values past practices. This means so much to the child, particularly when something disrupts these rituals.
Emotional Support is the Foundation of Healthy Personality
A parent should be supportive no matter what happens. Even when the adult is disappointed in the way a child acts at an event, give him love and support. Help him to figure out how to do things differently next time. A good parent never turns away from a child in need.
Let the child know that his parents will be there for him always, through sickness, disease, and divorce. Every family goes through a series of challenges and strife over the course of time. Let her know a parent’s love is forever, no matter what else may happen in life.
We hope that this article has given you some ideas on parenting a high achiever.
