Teaching the Youth to Be Community-Oriented
A lot of parents could not even get their kids to clean up their rooms, so it’s impossible to make teenagers to their computers and take on an “impossible” feat, right? Maybe not. There are techniques to persuade them to move out of their self zones and grow concern for the world around them.
As a parent, the following steps can aid you molding your teens into responsible as well as community-loving adults someday:
1. Give them autonomy.
How would you feel if someone would always be breathing down your neck each time you move? That’s exactly how it is for most teenagers. Adults usually get rather defensive when this point is mentioned, saying their kids must first act more responsibly before they will be given autonomy. Fact is, the opposite is true: how can a young person act more responsibly if he is never given the chance? If anything, psychological studies have discovered that the more you place your trust on someone, the more he will likely behave as you want him to.
2. Show real empathy.
Empathy is beyond being a good listener or putting yourself in the other’s shoes.” It’s actually feeling the emotions of the other. For example, if your child’s pet fish died, you empathize not by saying “It’s understand how you feel.” Empathy is grieving together. If your teen is hung up on looking “uncool” when volunteering, don’t dismiss it as “teens being teens.” Empathy requires decisive action, such as taking steps to make volunteering cool.
3. Be a good example.
Children may have never been great at listening to their parents, they have never failed to copy them. And there’s a biological logic behind that. Ever heard of mirror neurons and how they affect group behavior? Here’s the bottom line: don’t expect your children to do what you yourself couldn’t.
4. Appreciate their contributions.
Feeling like they’re invisible to you is a perfect way to douse their motivation. After all, why do you have to contribute when you don’t feel like it will change something? This is why it’s vital to express to them that their work is making a significant difference. And you have to say it to each of them, and not merely address a group.
5. Give them a meaningful purpose.
Why do these teens have to do all these things? Is it to make their parents happy? Is it to get a chance to be close to someone they like? To gain some kind of points for their grades? Each of those is poor motivation. Explain to them how the youth’s service can bring great benefit to your community, and what can happen if they don’t show up. This is more effective because a purpose in life is one of the most key factors that lead to psychological and even physical health. Proof is retiree volunteers living longer and less likely to be depressed than their stay-home counterparts.
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