MARIA LUISA SALCINES: Foster positive youth development

When parents and educators think about youth and the qualities they would like to see them develop, words like “strong morals,” “values” and “empathy” come to mind.

It is easy to know the behavior you want to instill in your children, but it isn’t always clear how to go about it.

The more you read about the field of positive youth development, the more you understand that raising a generation of positive children is not just about correcting or treating children for their developmental deficits.

It’s more about showing youth the possibilities they have at their fingertips and helping them develop interests that will help children succeed.

Developmental psychologist and researcher Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell studies how today’s youth grow into healthy and successful adults. In her article “3 Sources of Positive Youth Development,” she pointed out three positive things that make a difference in raising happy successful youth.

The first is the importance of children having experiences that bring meaning to their lives. She pointed out that it doesn’t matter if children grow up in high- or low-income households. The most important thing was that they were allowed to participate in activities outside of home and school that interested them.

The study showed that if kids are challenged in the activities they choose, these experiences teach them how to overcome obstacles, how to get along with others, and the skills they need to succeed in life.

Music, art, athletics and volunteering in the community all serve a very important part of a child’s development.

The second source of positive development her study found was the importance of children having supportive adults in their lives.

The more positive influences a child has, the better. Aunts, uncles, coaches, teachers and family friends all play an important role in a child’s development — especially during adolescence, when youth are pulling away from their parents and are in the process of discovering who they are. Having someone to talk to who doesn’t judge, but listens and encourages them helps them gain confidence.

The third thing children need for their development is positive values. Most successful adults were children who not only learned values from their families, but also from participating in church, sports and school activities.

It is important that parents model values like gratitude, integrity, kindness and love of learning, but it is also vital that they point these things out to their children during their development.

When parents and educators acknowledge children who are using these skills, they are letting them know the importance of having these internal strengths.

To read more articles on this subject and learn more about her research, visit Price-Mitchell’s blog, Roots of Action.

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Maria Luisa Salcines is a freelance writer, and certified parent educator with The International Network for Children and Families in Redirecting Children’s Behavior and Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom. Follow her on Twitter @PowerOfFamily or contact her at her website at www.redirectingchildrenrgv.org.

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DR. PRICE-MITCHELL
More from developmental psychologist and researcher Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell:
>> Blog: Roots of Action
>> Article: “3 Sources of Positive Youth Development”