With the fast pace life we all live, it’s no wonder kids are having a hard time delaying their gratification – today’s culture makes them impatient, wanting for things right now.
When you teach your kids the gift of delayed gratification, they start to feel more relaxed, patient and are actually kinder to others. Delayed gratification is definitely something we all can benefit from.
Kids who grow up being taught to wait, will have a more well-rounded attitude when they venture into adulthood. And all research shows, that kids who master delayed gratification when young are more successful as adults. Here are three tips for teaching delayed gratification to kids.
1. When there is an upcoming event that your kids are super excited about it may not be easy to get them to be patient. Delayed gratification comes in many forms, waiting for an exciting event is probably the first time your kids experience the concept of delayed gratification. Often time’s kids don’t like to wait for something exciting, perhaps they know their birthday is coming up and they get antsy waiting for that big day. Create a little countdown calendar for your kids, let them cross off each day and work with them to develop patience while they wait for that exciting event to occur.
2. Discuss feelings with your kids while they are learning how to handle delayed gratification. Often time’s kids will show signs of anger, frustration and some kids may even act out with a tantrum because they simply haven’t been taught how to cope with feelings while waiting for that gratification to happen. Keep an open mind, calm voice and work with your kids through their feelings when trying to teach delayed gratification. This is important that you work through the feelings your kids are having so that they can learn to control and minimize future outburst when becoming impatient.
3. Work on your kid’s problem solving skills by playing trivial board games or give them real life chores that may require they work through it. These problem solving skills will actually help teach them delayed gratification because after they learn this tough skill and accomplish it, they will have that later feeling of pride. It may seem like an easy task, but having your kids complete a chore they may otherwise not know how to do, really does help to teach them delayed gratification while you get to have a chore completed and removed from your own to-do list.
Overall delayed gratification comes in many forms, and young kids don’t yet know how to cope with it. Often times we see toddlers who demand the world revolve around them, then we work to teach them the proper skills to handle this concept of delayed gratification as they become teens. There are all sorts of phases in childhood that will continue to try your own patience as you work towards teaching your kids delayed gratification but remember, this is a skill they must learn, for the adult world is a difficult place full of having to try hard and wait for little things we desire.