Expect the best from your kids û each according to his or her unique abilities.
Periodically check out the expectations you have of your children, and modify them when necessary.
Notice when your children do well. Verbally express this to them.
Encourage both girls and boys to be independent.
Hold kids accountable for their actions at the same time you affirm their abilities.
Ask your children what they expect of themselves. Listen to what they say.
Allow your children to make mistakes and learn from them.
Involve your children in family decisions.
Have a family meeting and get everyone's ideas on accomplishing household tasks.
Ask your children to help you plan family reunions, outings, or neighborhood gatherings.
Provide your children with age-appropriate roles that contribute to your family's well-being.
Make gifts instead of buying them for birthdays and holidays/share talent.
Use some of your home projects as teaching opportunities.
Ask your child to teach you something.
Be available whenever and wherever your kids want to talk.
When your kids talk, really listen.
Ask your kids every day about what they are doing and thinking.
Pick a topic to discuss as a family at dinner.
Spend one hour a week with each child individually.
The fewer topics you declare off limits, the more your kids will talk to you.
Be willing to talk in a place that's comfortable for your child.
Ask your child's opinion or advice about something important.
Tell students what you expect from them.
Talk with parents about expectations.
Hold high expectations for all students, not just the stars.
Encourage students to take positive risks and act on their dreams and ideas.
Give students the tools they need to develop their talents and abilities.
Give kids opportunities to sink or swim.
Design learning opportunities that challenge students with all types of learning styles and abilities.
Find meaningful ways to celebrate successes.
Include students in decision making.
Teach youth how to positively exert their influence in community affairs.
Give student councils real authority over some issues.
Engage young people as active planners in some aspects of their education.
Have students work together to develop a proposal for an extracurricular activity.
Empower kids and teens by teaching them how to teach others.
Cultivate leadership skills in many students, not just a select few.
Include conversations with parents as part of homework assignments.
Provide parents with information about how to respond to tough questions and address sensitive issues.
Interact with students so they learn to interact with others.
Help students develop a feelings vocabulary.
Offer workshops and community meetings on topics of concern to your community. Invite kids to talk about difficult issues.
Sponsor activities and events that bring young people and parents together.
Provide opportunities for young people to express and act on their values and beliefs.
Watch for opportunities in your encounters with kids to reinforce healthy behaviors and resistance skills.
Encourage youth to resist negative peer pressure and avoid dangerous situations.
Form teams of youth to teach resistance skills to younger kids.
Offer assertiveness training workshops and seminars for children, youth, and adults.
Work to encourage the perception that youth are resources as opposed to problems.
Train community agencies, neighborhood groups and programs in ways to increase youth involvement in decision making.
Get youth involved in your organization or business.
Publicize volunteer programs and opportunities for young people.
Create win-win situations.
Hire youth when appropriate.
Sponsor discussion nights for parents and teens.
Plan parent-teen events that encourage conversation-dinner, retreats, discussion groups.
Provide families with conversation-starter questions in the worship bulletin.
Teach communication skills to young people and adults.
Offer an ear for parents to talk to.
Tell youth what you expect of them.
Hold high expectations for all youth in your congregation, not just the stars.
Give young people opportunities to try new activities or build new skills. Let them know that you expect them to succeed.
Make religious education challenging and interesting.
Educate parents about how to set realistic yet encouraging expectations for their children.
Ask for youth input in congregational decisions.
Provide opportunities for youth to be leaders in and contributors to the congregation.
Revise your planning process as needed to include youth as vision bearers, idea makers, speakers, etc.
Involve youth in caring for and teaching younger children.
Include youth on volunteer committees.
