Help Your Kids Achieve Their Dreams - PART 1
By Melissa Borghorst ©
As parents, you want to see your kids happy, successful and out in the world achieving their dreams. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to foster a positive and supportive environment, along with some things you should be doing—right now—to help your kids reach their dreams.
The first place you need to start is not with your kids. You need to start with—YOU!
Start Dreaming
You are the role model for your kids. If they see you dreaming, they’re going to start dreaming too. Start by creating your own dream list of the places you want to visit, things you want to learn, people you want to meet, and anything else you can think of.
Tip: Visit my blog www.DreamListOnline.com or listen to one of my radio shows at www.DreamListRadio.com to get dream list ideas or to find success stories.
Over the years, we as adults are conditioned to push our dreams aside because we have to focus on our jobs or our families. I 100% agree these things are important, BUT it doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can achieve your dreams while raising a happy and healthy family. By following some of your dreams, you may even create a stronger family bond.
There’s another thing that may have happened to you at some point in your life. You were told to be realistic or you’re not allowed to dream. If you didn’t have money to travel to Australia, you weren’t allowed to dream it. Many of you have also been telling this to yourself. Today is the day that you break this bad habit and break this harmful thought process. It doesn’t hurt to dream, so give yourself permission to dream.
Start Achieving Your Dreams
Remember, you are the role model for your kids. They need to see you pursuing and achieving some of your dreams. This will give them the confidence that they too can achieve their dreams.
Story: When I was a kid, my Dad dreamed of running in a marathon. One day he decided it was time to take action, so he slowly started training. Before his runs, he would stretch and warm up, so of course I too had to stretch and warm up with him. On his shorter runs, he would occasionally let me tag along. So I would rush into my room to throw on my “running clothes” that consisted of grey sweat pants, my favorite sweatshirt covered with colorful hearts and puffy sleeves, and my fastest running shoes that were purple with a lightning bolt on the side. My Dad always wore a sweatband on his head, so mimicking my Dad, I too wore a sweatband on my head.
He soon began competing in short distance races, so my Mom and I would cheer on the sidelines. Even though I wasn’t running, I’d still wear my “running clothes” and sweatband. Then one day my Dad signed us up for a family fun run where I put my purple running shoes to the test. Boy was that BIG time! After the race, I announced to all my school friends that I was going to be an Olympic runner. I was often found at recess racing the boys and anyone else who was up for the challenge. I soon became the fastest kid in Aldridge Elementary School…or so I thought. I have such fond memories of those days! Seeing my Dad follow his dream, gave me the confidence and courage to pursue my own dreams—even to this day.
The moral of the story: Parents, start pursuing some of your dreams! If you have a big dream, break it down into smaller goals so you won’t feel so overwhelmed. By pursuing your dreams, you are going to give your kids the confidence and courage to follow their own dreams.
Click here to read PART 2 of this article to see how you can help your kids.