Success comes in different ways, yet you can inspire kids to succeed by setting the stage in your home for achievement. In this podcast, the fourth in the series, we delve into practical ways to strive for greatness all within your own home.

Thanks to NOW Programs, this evidence-based program helps students learn differences.

Today’s focus is inspiring kids to succeed.

Have you read articles about kids writing novels, setting records, or doing extraordinary things such as collecting blankets for the disadvantaged? How do the children excel without a parent nagging them to do better? I looked at these situations and recently read an article about successful teens. What stood out was one story about a teen whose laptop fell out of his backpack and broke. He talked about how he decided to start a lemonade stand to earn money to repurchase his laptop.

This is stunning. He didn’t run home and ask his parents to buy him a new computer—or maybe he did, and his parents gave him an alternative, earning money for the purchase. The story related that not only was he able to earn the money to replace the laptop, but he also donated extra money to a charity his mother ran. This makes me think of the saying, “Lead by example.”

We are often proud of our family, no matter what they accomplish, yet we want our kids to be the best they can be based on their ability. I see many highly talented children who are complacent, uncaring, and bored with life. Why is this? What is the difference between the child who solves problems, or starts cottage industries and the child who would rather do the least they can, even if they are more talented?

Over the course of my career, I’ve written or co-authored a total of nineteen books. This does not include the forty-eight-plus planners offered on the Media Angels website. Yet, I have friends who are so much more talented than I am. One wrote one book, and the other suddenly died several years ago without ever writing the book she had planned.

I think success stems from deciding to do it and just doing it. In a few minutes, I will list ten points to review with your children, but if you are an adult who has always wanted to write a book or host a podcast, do it! (If it is a homeschool or Christian-based topic, reach out to me, as I am always looking for new podcasters to join our network.)

I’d like to challenge you, and you, in turn, challenge your children.

Of course, we all want the best for our children, and while we can argue that success is relative—what you consider successful may not be the same as what I consider a success—we can agree that when we read stories of amazing teens, we wonder what motivated them. What influenced these teens to tackle these projects, and what influence did they have from their parents or other role models?

So, how do you cultivate successful traits in your teens? Can you help your children set themselves up for long-term success? How can you help your children thrive in an ever-changing world?

The basics to this is giving your kids the opportunity to succeed. If you have scheduled your child’s life to the max, it is difficult to give your child time to think. Giving kids time to think is important. Giving your children opportunities is also important. Often, we jump in to fill in the gaps or to make things right. Just as in the case of the laptop that broke, a parent may say, “We have a warranty on itthat computer,” or we will pay to replace it since it was an accident. Yet, overcoming adversity is a key to success. The ability to be flexible and creative all contribute.

Building good habits is another way to teach your child responsibility. Having routines, having chores they are expected to complete, and having items your child is responsible for–whether that is laundry or keeping to a schedule. Good habits come out of routines and allow your child to have more time, as well as teach time management.

Which brings me to time management. My husband came up with the brilliant idea to put a time allowance next to each subject on my children’s weekly check-off homeschool lists. This came after I complained about how long it took them to complete independent work such as math, writing, or other assignments. Having a time frame gave the children a start and finish. Even if it was not perfectly adhered to, my husband reinforced it each evening by asking when they completed their schoolwork. This helped with time management, and often, my daughter would get up early to complete her math assignment before she came down for breakfast because she wanted to get the hardest subject over with first. This also opened her time for writing in the afternoon, and she was my co-author of the Truth Seekers Mystery Series. Here is a link to the interview I did with my daughter! She completed the last book when she was a freshman in college.

Opportunity is another factor in encouraging your child to succeed. My daughter had the opportunity to write and mentorship because her mom (me) was an author. While it ensured a publishing contract, it did not ensure success. Having the opportunity does open doors, but having the drive and the vision is what brings a person to the finish line.

Field trips are another way to open up a child’s horizons. In homeschooling, in particular, parents are unapologetically cautious about who or what they expose their impressionable children to, and rightly so! Field trips are an opportunity to give children experiences they might not otherwise have. And it opens the door for mentorship in high school.

Understanding the basics of success is helpful. Successful kids, teens, young adults, or adults all share some common traits: ambition, self-awareness, motivation, overcoming setbacks, determination, time management, strength of character, flexibility, responsibility, maturity, and self-fulfillment.

You can copy this list, give it to your children, and see how they answer.

1. 
   
2. Ambition:
   
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   • Where do you fit in, or where do you stand out?
     
   • Do you have a purpose, an idea, or a self-direction?
     
   • Do you have a goal you want to achieve?
     
   
   
   
3. Motivation:
   
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   • What is your motivation?
     
   • What do you want to do, create, or achieve?
     
   • Are you self-motivated?
     
   
   
   
4. Setbacks are a challenge.
   
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   • How do you overcome obstacles?
     
   • How do you improve on or learn from your mistakes?
     
   
   
   
5. Determination:
   
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   • Never say never.
     
   • How do you continue on when everyone says to give up or take a less strenuous path?
     
   • How do you stay focused?
     
   
   
   
6. Time management:
   
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   • How do you manage your schedule?
     
   • How do you focus on priorities?
     
   • How do you fit in your ambitious projects without compromising?
     
   
   
   
7. Strength of character:
   
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   • How do you stay honest and have understanding without compromising your beliefs?
     
   • How do you exhibit self-control?
     
   
   
   
8. Ability to change:
   
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   • How do you adapt when needed?
     
   • How do you refocus or regroup when needed?
     
   • Do you have flexibility?
     
   
   
   
9. Responsibility:
   
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   • How do you continue your must-dos and responsibilities while striving for your passion?
     
   • How do you complete your chores and household responsibilities?
     
   • How do you make sure everything is completed timely?
     
   
   
   
10. Maturity:
    
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    • Do you recognize your emotions?
      
    • Are you serious or driven?
      
    • Can you balance your ambitions with being a kid?
      
    
    
    
11. Self-fulfillment:
    
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    • Do you focus on your goals?
      
    • How do you accomplish what you have set out to do without worrying about what others think?
      
    • How do you stay satisfied with any progress without rushing things?
      
    • How do you measure your success?
      
    
    
    

The bottom line is giving your child an opportunity, encouraging them in their success and failures, and allowing them to make mistakes and correct them on their own.

The next podcast in the series is inspiring your child to empathize with the importance of this in the hurting world in which we live. Empathy has a two fold purpose that I will reveal in the next episode.

Five Part Series 

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• Inspire Kids to Listen
  
• Inspire Kids to Learn 
  
• Inspire Kids to Cooperate
  
• Inspire Kids to Succeed (this episode)
  
• Inspire Kids to Empathize
  
• Inspire Kids ~ Self Esteem