A friend recently gave to me a book titled Gist: The Essence of Raising Life-Ready Kids.

As a father of three small children, I have an obvious interest in such a book. Nearly every parent wants to raise a happy, well-adjusted child who will blossom into a capable, bright, and self-sufficient young man or woman.  

But how does one arrive there? How do you as a parent even know if you’re doing a good job at preparing your child for their journey?

At one point in their book, authors Michael W. Anderson, a licensed psychologist, and Timothy D. Johanson, an MD, offer a short list of indicators. They say a thriving child is one who:

“1. Follows the important rules

2. Gets along with others to an acceptable extent

3. Performs in school at an appropriate level for his abilities

4. Is honest and cooperative

5. Shows creativity and passion for life

6. Demonstrates obedience when obedience is important

7. Lives with age-appropriate courage to face new adventures

8. Refrains from breaking any laws or acting reckless in any way”

It’s a pretty solid list, in my opinion, and the authors offer numerous strategies designed to help parents in this important—and often quite difficult—task.

Difficult as it might be, the authors explain the wonderful and tangible benefits of having a thriving child.

“When your child is thriving, wear your parenting hat as little as possible. With a thriving child, you may only need to parent a few hours a month. At these times, your child is consumed with growing and with life. Adventure and creativity are abundant and as parents, we have a front row seat. It’s an easy and wonderful place to be.”

Sounds great, doesn’t it? The trick, of course, is getting your children to this thriving state. Teaching children to conquer fear and be obedient when they should be is a much taller task than many realize.

What say you, readers? Any dos/don’ts on how parents can help their children thrive?

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[Image Credit: MaxPexels]