Teaching Child the Difference between Ordinary and Extra-extraordinary
One important skill to teach your child is how to be extra-extraordinary rather than ordinary. An ordinary person learns to follow the crowd even when the individual know it is not the proper thing to do. An extra-extraordinary person stands behind the beliefs they have developed and resists following the crowd.
An ordinary child is more likely to bully and tease others, or to start using drugs and alcohol because their peers may engage in these behaviors. On the contrary, an extra-extraordinary child is less likely to get involved with bullying others, trying alcohol or drugs, or engaging in behaviors which negatively affect those around them. These children learn to stand up for those being teased or bullied. They learn to say no to unhealthy peer pressure and they do it with conviction and confidence.
As a parent, it is important to teach your child the difference between being ordinary and following the crowd and being extra-extraordinary and doing the right thing even when no one else is watching. So how do you teach your child to avoid being ordinary and to become extra-extraordinary? It is as simple as using real life examples of extra-extraordinary people and encouraging your child to emulate those examples.
Some simple example:
1 – when at the grocery store, an extra-extraordinary child will learn to thank both the cashier as well as the individual bagging the family’s groceries. A parent may challenge their child to look for the good in everyone and to communicate their gratefulness for assisting them. Children learn by contrast so always share how an ordinary person may proceed through the checkout.
2 – when your child talks about another child being teased by a classmate. A parent may utilize this opportunity to teach their child how to stand up for the individual being teased. An ordinary person may ignore the event completely or even join in with the teasing for fear they may be next one to be teased.
3 – a parent should talk with their child about alcohol and drug use well before their child will possibly be asked to try either of them. The best way to prevent being an alcoholic or become addicting to drugs is making a choice to never start using either. An extra-extraordinary person, will say no thank you for confidence. An ordinary person may feel peer pressure and try both alcohol or drugs out of fear they will be left out.
Give your child the gift of confidence, self-esteem, and an extra-extraordinary life by teaching them to stand up for what is right even when standing up for themselves means going against everything their friends are doing.
Teach them to resist the urge to be ordinary and give in to peer pressure. The result will be a child that is less likely to get involved with bullying others, trying alcohol or drugs, or engaging in behaviors which negatively affect those around them!