Raising a child with good academic performance is not easy. Actually, there is something more difficult than just teaching math or physics lessons. Teaching your kids with a high social concern for others also needs your attention.
Curriculum of education in Indonesia today is more likely to pay attention to the academic achievement of children, without giving special attention to the development of the child's personality. Yet with the increasingly advanced technology, children and adolescents tend to be more individualistic. How to develop a sense of social concern if the technology can be utilized to improve children's intelligence just make a child stuck on a gadget like a computer or cell phone? Television footage and violent mass media also do not have a positive effect on children.
Therefore, the responsibility of parents is also greater to be able to teach that kind of attitude to their children. The great role of parents will have an effect on creating a child's character who is concerned with his surroundings. Here are some things you can do to foster a caring attitude in children.
1. Show social attitude
Children learn by seeing and imitating first. A word or advice alone will not have the same effect with a direct example of you as a parent. If your daily behavior shows a compassionate and caring attitude to others, your child will most likely adopt that attitude.
2. Caring attitude begins at home
Home is where a child starts learning about good or bad things. Growing a caring attitude starts by modelling the behaviors at home. Teach your little one to get used to helping his parents to do housework. Start with simple things, such as helping you wash dishes or prepare a table. When children feel a welcomed need for their help, they will be confident to provide assistance to others who need it.
3. Keep an eye on what your child watches
Research conducted by National Institute of Mental Health found that children tend to follow the behavior they watch on television. Provide restrictions on what programs your child can watch and how long they can watch television. Provide lots of interesting reading or activities that can divert it from watching television.
4. Involve the child in social activities
Encourage children to engage in social activities, eg. charity to orphanages, voluntary work for social organizations, etc. Better still if your child can use the advantages or talents he has to help others. For example, if your child loves music, he can entertain the children in an orphanage or hospital.
5. Give attention and affection to the child
Experts argue that children, who feel safe and loved at home, have a greater chance to be concerned about others around him. Children who feel lack of affection will only grow into people who only care for themselves. Therefore, give attention and affection to your child.
There used to be a lot of assumption that social care will grow by itself when someone starts to mature. But recent research suggests that children can show empathy and concern for others since childhood. Therefore, steps to foster social care attitude can start early. In addition, research also shows that teenagers who are accustomed to helping others around them will view their lives in a positive way and have great expectations for their future.