It still feels strange for me to talk about fostering Ambition in kids. It kind of reminds me of some draconian method that is forced upon children. There has been a lot of media attention around raising "entrepreneurial kids" lately, a term which makes me want to say “remember, they are only kids once, and should be allowed to be kids for as long as possible”.
Don't get me wrong, I think the general wish of all parents is to see their kids succeed, the problem with this philosophical premise is that it may not be the same as seeing your child happy.
I would go out on a limb to say that, if your child is happy there is a greater chance that they will live a successful life.
A more pragmatic approach to fostering ambition in children may be finding ways of nurturing Ambition in Children.
Here are our top 10 Ways to Nurture Ambition in Children
- Always Encourage your kids: Someone has to be President, it might as well be your kid. If your child wants to do something remarkable, don't dismiss the idea as being beyond their reach. Encourage them to work out how they could make it happen.
- Challenge your kids: Wrapping your child in protective blankets will only make the world seem more frightening than it really is. Set them challenges that will stretch them. Celebrate small wins and successes with them.
- Travel/See the world: Give your children opportunities to see new things, new places, and meet new people. No one changed the world by staying at home, playing minecraft in the basement. Take them traveling.
- Reading more books: Reading broadens the mind and inspires ambition; buy books not junk toys. It's the one thing we give our kids unlimited access to on their kindles.
- Encourage heroes: There's nothing wrong with wanting to be Iron man or Iron woman, in fact it's a brilliant way to focus ambition. Encourage children to find out how their heroes did what they did and how it all started.
- Encourage Role play: Creative play develops creative thinking. Children do this instinctively, but encourage them and suggest scenarios for them to explore.
- Encourage Social interaction: Children grow up to be more confident if they regularly play with other children. It will also sharpen their ability to influence others.
- Accept Change: If yesterday's budding astronaut becomes today's budding airline pilot, don't frown. It could simply be that your child has been thinking and recognizes that flying a plane is more achievable.
- It's not about money: Don't push your child toward high-earning careers simply for the salary opportunity. There's more to life than money.
- Anything is possible: Each and every person is unique, and today the world is more egalitarian than ever before. Almost anything is possible if you want to do it badly enough. Don't discourage ambition.
The Dream Cast Team
