If we're going to make our country great again, we have to talk about the greatness on the inside of every child. Research and statistics show that by the fortieth day of school, children's study habits have set in. Day 40 is also the point at which school district and education department budgets are set. That means we have until mid-October to get this school year right. In my years as a school administrator, I always wondered in the first few days of the school year if the future president of the United States or the medical genius to discover the cure to cancer was in my midst. As families and as a nation, we need to teach our kids about their potential and how to become great. Here are five easy ways to make that happen for your family:
1)Envision what a great school year for your child means. What is your child hoping to learn this year and how you help them get there? We can teach children about goals and set those goals early in the year. Create a vision board: a bulletin board with notes, photos, inspirational quotes about your child's goal. Put it in a place where you and they can see it every day. Things that are in sight are top of mind.
2)Check in every day and make sure everything is going great. Post more affirmations every day on your child's vision board. Share new thoughts on how to achieve their goals every single day! At the end of each day, ask your child what they did to help reach their greatness. Maybe even start a greatness journal and have them write about what their path to achieve greatness. Every day is a new journey with challenges and opportunities alike, so we have to help keep them on track.
3)Talk about all the other great people in your child's life and what makes them great. Ask your child who they think is great. Discuss what makes them great and teach your child about their greatness and how they might get there. Have them include what lessons can be taken from these people in their journals. Make sure that every day your child is focused on learning what greatness is, and more importantly, how others have reached their greatness.
4)Build Your Greatness Dream Team. Encourage your child and expose them to people who are healthy and supportive of them finding greatness. A village alone doesn't raise a child -- we need the right people around your child making sure to tell them what will and what won't bring them to a life of success and achievement. Surround your child with people who will help!
5)Get your child's teacher to make a joint plan for greatness. You're not going to do this alone, and as a lifelong educator, I know that your child's teacher would love to help your child achieve their full potential. Tell your teacher about your plan, the hopes and dreams you've developed and the roadmap you and your child are creating to get there. Get them to reinforce the plan and help your child during the school day. Check in with your child's teacher to make sure your child is working toward greatness in the classroom.
Greatness may not be able to be taught, but it can be shown. While you've been reading about back to school sales and traffic reports, let's all work together to ensure that this back to school season helps our children and our country reach greatness.
Byron V. Garrett is the Clinton-based Chairman of the Nat'l Family Engagement Alliance and Director of Educational Leadership & Policy for Microsoft, former CEO of the National PTA. His latest book, There's Greatness on the Inside, is available for purchase on Amazon.com