What makes a child unique: 7 ways to encourage your child’s uniqueness

7 ways to encourage your child’s uniqueness

Every child is an individual, with special social, emotional, intellectual, and physical qualities.

Children are unique. They are individuals and no two children are alike: physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually, each child is a unique individual. Because children are unique, even if there are common needs and characteristics that children of a particular age or stage of development share, they must be understood by their parents and teachers in their uniqueness, and their individuality must be respected.

For example, even in a single-grade classroom composed of 45 to 50 seven-year-olds, not all of the seven-year-olds will be reading at precisely the same ability level. They will also differ in the ways they are able to understand and solve word problems in mathematics. They will have different personalities—some will be shy, some will be confident, some outgoing, some quiet but competent. They will each have their own life experiences and feelings about themselves. They will have different likes and dislikes, interests and needs.

Here are some recommendations for how parents can continue to get to know their children, and how to celebrate their lives and provide encouragement to enable them to grow and develop into happy, successful adults.

WAYS TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN’S UNIQUENESS1) DISCOVER

Take time each day to observe your child up close and from afar. Look for changes. Look for new skills. Experience your child as a person by interacting with them.

2) LISTEN AND ASK QUESTIONS

Discovery includes truly listening to your child. It means inquiring about how they think and feel about events in their life. The more you can listen with openness and acceptance, the more you will discover and at the same time affirm your child as an unique individual. Questions should be asked for the purpose of learning more. Find out what lead them to those feelings and thoughts, and how long they’ve held those thoughts or feelings. This is the time to show interest and understanding, provide support, and volunteer guidance but only if requested or when it raises serious concerns.

3) OBSERVE AND COMMENT

This is the fun part of parenting – watching your child be a kid. Where they’re playing a game, drawing, playing music, performing, learning a new skill, showing off a physical feat or attempting comedy, all you have to do is watch, enjoy, and celebrate with a smile, applause, and a pat on the back. Provide praise and encouragement. Avoid being a critic – that’s the job of teachers and coaches, and your children will surely get criticism from peers as well.

4) ENGAGE IN CHILD DIRECTED PLAY

Playing is good for people of all ages. It reduces stress, promotes health, and is just plain fun. When playing with younger kids as well as older children and teens, let them direct the play. Join in and have fun. Let toddlers and preschoolers make up the rules for games if they want. Get in touch with your inner child and enjoy along with them.

5) EXPOSE YOUR CHILD TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES

Children should be exposed to all types of opportunities to try new things such as sports, music, art, drama, science, reading, visiting parks, the forest, the beach, museums, hobbies, and anything else you can think of. Encourage them to give it a try. Praise them for trying new things. If they become interested, encourage them and support them in their pursuit. If they feel like giving up after a while, find out why and encourage them to keep going when things get harder or they become bored or lose interest. At some point we as parents may have to let them quit even when we think they could be successful at the endeavor. Letting them quit without a huge struggle and letting them know the door is always open is the best way to go.

6) SHOW PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING

No matter the situation, patience and understanding are always good to maintain. While dealing with children can be frustrating, being patient and showing that you understand how they are feeling helps a lot. Try to model and coach patience along with encouragement in the affirming of their abilities. Talk them through the process step by step and cheer them along the way.

7) ENCOURAGEMENT

Words of encouragement can be as simple as saying “I love you” and providing a smile or a pat on the back.

Kids talk about what makes them unique

As part of the ongoing Kid’s Page series, NJ Advance Media asks students in kindergarten through the eighth grade to answer questions or complete a sentence. This week’s sentence is: What makes me unique is …

What makes me unique is that I have my own YouTube channel. I only have 13 subscribers (my YouTube channel is ZebraGuy). Mostly my friends are subscribed. I post Gaming videos and Vlogs. I’m also a really good gamer. I usually play Fortnite with my friends James, Kellen, Lucas, and Michael. (I’ve gotten better since my first time.) Or we play Roblox; Roblox powers imagination. Everybody in my class plays Roblox; they mostly play 1 game called Work at a Pizza Place. That is some things that make me unique.

Zac Woolf

Grade 4

Milford Public School

A lot of things make me unique. First, I play sports and I am very athletic. For example my family always says how athletic I am. Second, I have food allergies so I get to eat different things from other kids. Third, I have asthma since I was a baby. Every time I go somewhere I need to have inhaler. Last, I am very kind. When I am playing wiffle ball with my sister I let her hit the ball and field the ball. I am very unique.

Nicholas Sherlock

Grade 4

Copper Hill School

There are a few things that make me unique. One thing that makes me unique is my brain knowledge. I know about cars, businesses, and more. I also know about tech companies like Sony, Dell, Acer, Samsung, HP, and lots more. Another thing that makes me unique is that I am good at magic. I did a magic trick at a Senior Luncheon. One last thing is that I am a twin. My sister, Madison and I play with each other. I like how these things make me unique.

William Groves

Grade 4

Copper Hill School

There are many special things that make me unique. For one thing, I have a unique talent of playing piano.I have been playing piano since I was 5 years old. Secondly, I play a different sport that is taekwondo.I am already a first degree black belt and am preparing to get my 2nd degree in June. Last, but not least, I am unique because my name means champion and I will always try to excel in everything I do. I think that everyone should deserve to be different and unique because everone has their own specialties.

Neil Khalsa

Grade 4

Copper Hill School

Unique means how you are different than anyone else. This is my story. One day my “new” Mom was home doing her normal routine when suddenly she gets an email so quickly and unexpectedly. We have a baby for adoption. Do you want him? She said “Yes!” She had to tell somebody. She told my new “Dad” and he rushed home.

My new parents always wanted to adopt a Spanish boy because Dad is Spanish, and Mom loves boys. Before I came home with them they saw a picture of me… a hot, sweaty baby boy. They fell in love at first sight with me.  My “parents” flew to Guatemala to meet me and Anna who helped to take care of me. They fell in love with me even more! After a lot of paperwork, we went home. Each year, my family celebrates my homecoming in special ways which make me feel even more loved and unique. Thank you, Mom and Dad.

Alexander Aldana

Grade 4

Tewksbury Elementary School

In my parent’s eyes, I’m unique. I was their miracle baby because it took 11 years of praying for me to arrive. It was a 60 degree day in January. I shot out like a football. Now that’s special! My parents tell me that I am beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. In addition, my brain works uniquely. It can see and solve problems better than most. Finally, my parents and my teacher remind me how caring and loving I am. My teacher says I am patient and nonjudgmental. I love helping kids who have special needs. I think that is because I have some special needs of my own. My parents love me more than life itself. HOORAY FOR ME!

Mason Schaub

Grade 4

Tewksbury Elementary School

I am unique because I’m kind to animals. My mother calls me the horse whisperer because I always talk to my horses and they always listen. I always draw when I’m sad. I love to help animals and if I see an animal that’s hurt  I Immediately run over to help it. I love looking at wedding dresses because I think their beautiful. That’s what’s unique about me.

Allie Elizabeth Butler

Grade 4

Valley View School

“What makes me unique is that I like green beans. Only one person in my class, (not counting me) likes green beans! I like green beans, but not the soft mushy ones that a lot of people like. I think they taste like worms. But, when they are crunchy, light green and super fresh, they are delicious! So, when I go to lunch and take out my green beans, everyone goes, “”EWW!!”” But I don’t care. I plop right down and eat my green beans. That is what makes me unique.

(Green beans = YUM!!!!!)”

Masen Chen

Grade 4

Valley View School

I know I am unique because I always cooperate with my Mom and Dad.  I am also unique because I speak two different languages Hindi and English and I am hardworking and I try my best to do what I can do.  My parents help me guide me when I need help. These things make me unique. If everybody was the same no one would be unique in their own way.

Varenya Mishra

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique is that I’m …well me. I have a big heart for animals. If I’m around many people I’m very shy. I like sports. I also like camping. I love being with my family. That’s what makes me unique.

Sadie Forsyth

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I enjoy making slime, playing with it, and even watching videos about it. I enjoy Minecraft I play with my sister and I love watching it. I love stress balls so much. I am also unique because I have an  identical twin and our fingerprints are very different. Sophia is my twin and we look completely different because we are identical and the older we get the more different we look. That is why I believe I am unique.

Lydia Painter

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because there is no one else like me that has my personality or looks. Nobody has my hair, my eyes, my nose, or my smile. Nobody draws like me, paints like me, sings like me, or dances like me. I am also unique because God made me and wanted me to look and act exactly like I do now. That is why I am unique.

Julia Busch

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I know how to bake a two layer cake from scratch. I think this makes me unique since not everyone can bake. I also think this makes me unique because I am not using a box cake.This is what makes me unique.

Gianna La Marca

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique is that I am the only lefty in my family.  No one else is a lefty in my house. Plus I used to be a right. I might be ambidextrous, but that’s something I don’t know.  I can use both hands for anything, but I’m not as good with my right hand.”

Michael Wellet

Grade 4

Valley View School

Here are some things that make me unique.  I LOVE to laugh. Laughing is my favorite thing to do with my friends at school.  Another thing is I sing

24-7.  That is my hobby.  I also love to read.  I have read all of the Harry Potter books.  I would give anything to have a whole day to read.   I like to build houses out of shoe boxes. Those are the things that make me unique.

Emily Denis

Grade 4

Valley View School

I’m unique because I dress differently than others. I don’t wear dresses and skirts. I wear jeans and sweaters.

Evelyn Gonzalez

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique, is everything about me. I have medium, dirty blond hair and brown-with-a-touch-of-green eyes. I am a bookworm and a daredevil. I have a bubbly and daring personality…when my head isn’t in a book. What I do that most others don’t is, almost every second of every day, my head is in a book. Plus, I can walk with my head in a book without crashing into anyone or anything. That is what makes me unique.

Natalie Thall

Grade 4

Valley View School

The thing that makes me unique is how I act.  It’s also what I say. For example, I try to make people laugh by making a funny face. I think this makes me unique because no one acts or speaks the same.  Being unique doesn’t mean you’re bad, it just means your different in a good way. What makes you different?

Kayla Iannace

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique is that I have a diferent skin color then most people at my school. I like different stuff then some people. I am faster then most people. Also I am weird and talkative. Some people are quiet but I am not. That makes me unique.

Zeke Hanley

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I love school. I love it because I get to see all my friends, and I don’t have to do chores all day long. I am also unique because I am in the middle of everything I can think of. An example, I’m the middle child. I am really good at drawing. I am ambidextrous in writing, drawing, and cutting. I have a solid morning affirmation: “”Great things are going to happen to me today, Great things are going to happen to me today, I am a loving child, I am a loving god, and I’ll do great things for  a lot of people. I respect myself, my family, my God, and my country, and the environment, all babies, my neighbors, and my friends I will make good choices, and I am in charge of my happiness, and I will do the right thing, I am a smiling happy kid and I smile a lot and I make others happy too, I take care of the car, and I take care of my house, and I take care of my baby sister, even more while she is little. And I treat others the way I want to be treated. I can do hard things, I make friends easily, I do my best.

Cassidy Bower

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I like doing hard work outside.   I am also unique because I have the BEST cousins in the world, Skylar, Carly, Jojo, Deven, Graeme, and Elle Rose.  I have a roman numeral in my name (IV) which stands for the forth BEN DAMIANO. There are 7.442 billion people in the world according to google and I

am the only person like me.  Those are the reasons why I am unique.

Ben Damiano IV

Grade 4

Valley View School

The thing that makes me unique is I enjoy doing different things such as sports, camp, and music.I have a twin brother and 2 sisters who are all annoying. Only person I know who is an LSU and a Houston Rockets fan.#fearthebeard

Zachary Beers

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I am very athletic. Sometimes I play three sports at once. It’s very busy.It is also fun because I’m always busy and never bored. I hope I never give up a sport.

Devin Tuvey

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique is that I am small but fast and strong. I am one of the youngest students in the grade but still am very smart.  I don’t use my intelligence. Also I am light weight and still play football with older kids and I am still able to make big plays.

Ben DelusAnt

Grade 4

Valley View School

My fingerprints make me unique because no one has the same. Also because if you try checking your fingerprints no one else has the same kind. No one in the world has the same fingerprints not even twins. That is what makes me unique.

Samuel Gallo

Grade 4

Valley View School

The thing that makes me unique from other people is that I’m pretty good with animals like my dogs, cat, and chikens. Another thing is that I can sing really well and also I think I am really creative. My mom also says that I’m really goodv at writing stories and other stuff to do with writing. Those are some of the things that make me special and unique.

Klaudia Kozikowski

Grade 4

Valley View School

What makes me unique is that I’m really flexible.  Also, I’m double-jointed in my jaw. Actually, my brother’s birthday is my half birthday and my birthday is his half birthday.  Lastly, I know how to speak many different languages. I am unique in many ways.

Jessica Rodrick

Grade 4

Valley View School

I am unique because I have the only name that is Jack Schlaudecker.I am able to do what some others can’t. I am unique because I have done things others haven’t like doing homework and getting questions right. I am also unique because I have privileges that others don’t ,like playing football and others aren’t allowed. That is what makes me unique.

Jack Schlaudecker

Grade 4

Valley View School

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4 stages in raising children according to Tibetan wisdom / AdMe

It is known that the people of Tibet are distinguished by patience, wisdom and their own unique outlook on all spheres of human life. So in the issue of raising children, there is a special “Tibetan view” that helps to grow a full-fledged and self-sufficient person who will make the right decisions and treat parents with respect.

ADME talks about 4 time stages that exist, according to Tibetan wisdom, in the upbringing of a child.

Stage 1: up to 5 years

According to the Tibetan education system, during this period, the child should be treated “like a king” . You can’t forbid anything to a child, much less punish him.

At this age, the child is inquisitive, active, ready to learn and explore the world. But he still does not know how to rely on his experience and build logical chains. Therefore, if he does something wrong or dangerous, you need to portray a frightened look and switch his attention to something else. Emotions are the language that children understand well during this period.

• If you protect a child unnecessarily and forbid him a lot at this age, then suppress his vital activity and teach him to mindlessly obey.

2nd stage: from 5 to 10 years old

During this period, it is advised to treat the child “like a slave” , but, of course, without cruelty. At this time, the intellect and logical thinking develop especially actively and the foundation of the future personality is laid.

During this period, it is important to set various tasks for the child, to control how they are performed, and to teach the child to be prepared for the consequences that arise due to their non-fulfillment. So the child must learn to be responsible for his actions, strive for positive things and avoid negative ones. At this time, you can not be afraid to load the child with knowledge: he absorbs them faster than ever.

• If during this period you continue to treat the child “like a king”, he will grow up infantile, unable to be responsible for his actions and incapable of work.

Stage 3: from 10 to 15 years old

From 10 to 15 years old, it is important to treat a child “as with equals” . You know that you have more life experience and knowledge, but it is important for a child to declare his position in life and show the strength of his opinion.

So help him in this: consult, ask his opinion, encourage independence. It is important to prompt, not to order and forbid, because at this age independence of thinking, independence in deeds and actions are formed.

• If you forbid everything, then the relationship will only worsen, and the child may end up in a dangerous situation. And if, on the contrary, you overprotect, then he will grow up insecure and dependent on someone else’s opinion.

Stage 4: from 15 years of age and older

By this time, the child’s personality has already been formed. Now it is important to treat him with respect , give advice, but not educate. And you will reap the fruits of your labor and see that the child has become a self-sufficient, complete and respectful person, his parents and all those around him.

A metropolitan psychologist spoke about the unique abilities of ambidexter children

All children are unique, each has its own characteristics. Sometimes parents do not know how to behave correctly: accept them or try to correct and retrain the child. These features include children’s ambidexterity – congenital (sometimes developed) identical development of both the left and right hands. How best to behave with such a child, what are his strengths and weaknesses, how to educate him? Psychologist from the Pechatniki family center, candidate of psychological sciences Irina Kutyanova answers the most common questions about ambidexter children.

Ambidexterity – equally successful use of both hands. A person can either be born with this skill or acquire it. Approximately 1% of babies are born already with congenital ambidexterity. Most often, ambidexterity develops in left-handed people – due to constant training or retraining.

Retrain a child or leave it alone

A Muscovite who is raising her seven-year-old son turned to the Pechatniki family center: “How to retrain a child who draws copybooks and draws either with his right or with his left hand?” It seemed to my mother that if the son did not retrain to the right hand, then it would be difficult for him to study at school and quickly learn new material.

The psychologist explained to the mother that ambidexterity is normal, there is no need to forcibly retrain the child so that when writing he uses only his right hand. Parents of an ambidexter child need to know about some of the features that should be taken into account in his development and upbringing.

“If a child is great with both hands, but one dominates, there is no need to panic either. Watch the child: it is important to determine which hemisphere of the brain is more important. To do this, you can conduct tests with a psychologist. The test results will help plan further education and development of the child”, – Irina Kutyanova told .

How ambidexterity affects memory and thinking

Ambidextrous children are naturally active. They learn the material faster, can perform additional tasks to it. This activity must be properly directed, otherwise the child will start to get bored and act up. At the same time, emotional outbursts and whims in ambidexters are more pronounced than in ordinary children. Their nervous system is depleted faster. Therefore, when working with them, it is recommended to switch them to another activity more often.

Important to know: ambidexters are more vulnerable than normal children. You should not raise your voice and be rude towards them. They take it painfully. Only thanks to a calm tone can one begin a confidential communication with an ambidexter child and cooperate with him.

“As a child grows, the qualities associated with ambidexterity become more pronounced. The most difficult period for him is adolescence from 11 to 14 years. At this time, students may have problems with academic performance. There is increased fatigue, irritability and anxiety. Pain and heaviness in the head are possible. During this period, it is important to correctly distribute the school load and switch to creative activities: listening to music, drawing, dancing, “ – the psychologist advises.

Strengths of the ambidexter child

• He learns faster because both hemispheres of the brain are involved in him.
• Can quickly switch from one task to another.
• Strong-willed qualities are well developed in him.
• Able to quickly assess the situation from different angles.
• Successfully masters both logical and figurative thinking.
• Ambidextrous children can successfully realize themselves both in cultural and natural science spheres.

Ability Development Exercises

If the ambidexter child is overtrained left-handed, his right brain thinking and creativity are more developed. For harmonious development, parents are advised to pay attention to the logic of the child: it is necessary to give him to solve problems in logic and mathematics, teach him chess.

If the child is ambidexter from birth, then there is an emphasis on various tasks – both on creative activity and logical thinking. This way you can achieve the most effective and comprehensive development of the child.

For better synchronization of the cerebral hemispheres, the following exercise is useful – it can be done for ambidexters and ordinary children. The child takes pencils or felt-tip pens in both hands and draws a circle with one hand and a square with the other. You can do the same exercise, describing different geometric shapes in the air with different hands. You can also change shapes, complicating tasks: draw a rhombus, rectangle, zigzag, and so on.

Remember! An ambidexter child learns new things faster, is able to perform several tasks at the same time, so he often gets bored in kindergarten or school. Parents and teachers should give him additional tasks: for example, not only draw a picture, but also come up with a fairy tale or story for him.

We compensate for the weaknesses of the ambidexter

For ambidexters, tasks for concentration of attention and self-regulation are useful. Preschoolers have an increased exploratory interest in everything, so it is important to keep the child in sight and gently guide.

It is important not to take it out on a child, but to direct his energy into a constructive channel. When such a child gets upset, parents need to keep a calm and even intonation in their voice, calm him down, and find out the causes of the disorder. Dad and mom can be an example of how to properly deal with their negative emotions.

Do not put pressure on the child when choosing the dominant hand. For example, do not tell him with which hand to eat or learn to write recipes. It is important to listen to him and notice his natural inclination: with which hand does he reach for a pen or felt-tip pen, with which hand does he eat.

Memo for parents

It is important to know and remember that ambidexter children may have learning problems due to their restlessness, hyperactivity, absent-mindedness. All this together leads to errors, in particular, in the Russian language and mathematics – wherever accuracy is required.

If adults, teachers or parents begin to emotionally suppress such children, they experience fatigue, forgetfulness and irritability, which may be accompanied by headaches. Emotional outbursts help ambidexters relieve excessive stress, but become a real test for loved ones.