Child empowerment is on the policy agenda of countries around the world. Equipping children with the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions for their own health and well-being is important for a child’s outcomes and in enabling them to be agents of change while positively impacting their surroundings in the future. However, social inequalities can undermine child health and empowerment, especially as countries are dealing with the economic uncertainty exacerbated by the pandemic. Many organizations have recently underlined the importance and expectation of children as actors in their own right concerning matters that affect them, suggesting that adults should engage in dialogue and respond to the views of children when making decisions concerning them.
When children and youth are included in decision-making, it can foster a stronger sense of responsibility to others and has the potential to promote both community and individual well-being. The education system plays a key role in empowering students in becoming responsible, informed, engaged citizens, allowing them to actively participate in the societal conversation and to make decisions for the good of themselves and their communities.
To empower children is to guide them to feel valued, and capable and to realize that they play the role of creator in their own lives and future. Before we give you tips on how to empower kids emotionally, physically, and financially, you should understand the importance of empowering kids.
- Empowering kids helps in growing their confidence and self-esteem
- Empowering kids encourages independent thinking
- Empowering kids helps in building resilience
- Empowering kids helps them develop a sense of self-respect
- Empowering kids helps them be better learners.
Tips on how to empower kids emotionally –
- Acknowledge the kid’s perspective and empathize with them
- Allow expression and accept the kids’ emotions, rather than denying or minimizing them
- Teach them problem-solving skills
- Give them choices to make informed decisions
- Allow them to take risks
- Encourage them to follow their interests
- Encourage perseverance
- Speak positively about them
- Tell them that they are enough
- Be a role model for them
- Teach coping skills
Tips on how to empower kids financially –
- Teach them the difference between what you want and what you need
- Give them some money with the task of choosing what to buy for a week
- Teach them how to compare prices
- Teach them that they should save at least 75% of their earnings
- Teach the importance of having an emergency fund
- Teach them that credit cards are like a loan
- Make them understand that paying taxes is beneficial
- Use allowances as a learning tool to create teachable moments
- Give them ownership over their savings
- Show them how their savings contribute to the family
- Set saving goals
- Teach them basic budgeting skills
- Teach them to delay gratification
Tips on how to empower kids physically –
- Let them make mistakes
- Support risk-taking
- Emphasize fun activities
- Emphasize outdoor activities with other kids
- Provide active toys
- Use exercise as transportation
- Involve the whole family
- Make physical activity a social activity
- Use competition as a motivator
- Include kids in household activities
- Limit screen time
- Plan vacations that include physical activities like swimming, hiking, cycling, etc.
- Provide a safe environment
Empowered kids are our future leaders and are what we need to bring a positive impact on our society. Empowering kids at the right time can do wonders for society, their close ones, and themselves. We hope that these basic and easy tips will help us and you in empowering the kids we get associated with.