What comes to mind when you think about teaching self-control to kids? Telling them not to take handfuls of candy? In today’s story, Abby talks about when she was a little kid, and she and her cousins had to show an enormous amount of self-control on Christmas morning. Maybe it was just positive peer pressure! Whenever your child shows this important trait, heap on the praise, because self-control or self-regulation is one of the most important things for children to learn. It helps them understand the importance of time and how to be responsible for their own behaviors.
Do you remember your parents helping you with self-control? Probably not. That’s because there were more natural ways for kids to learn it. But today, with no boredom, no waiting, and endless ways to occupy yourself instead of control yourself, kids aren’t able to practice self-control as frequently. That’s why moms and dads need to step in. We have some creative ways to teach it to tiny kids all the way up to teens. And if you think some kids’ personalities make it easier for them to show self-control, you’re right. But the good news is, it’s something all kids can learn.
Self-control is one of those things that’s hard to teach because it shows itself in a variety of ways, like using an inside voice, not interrupting, and asking before taking. Self-control in kids requires other disciplines like patience. But if we consistently point out self-control, we’ll help our kids focus on improving it. Our self-control printables can help you bring the words into your conversations with your kids and put this valuable trait at the front of their minds.
Articles We Mentioned
7 Ways to Teach Self-Control
How to Teach Toddlers and Preschoolers Self-Control
How to Teach Teens Self-Control
Printables We Think You’ll Like
What are you doing to teach your kids self-control? Where do they struggle most?
