#LRH59: FIVE TIPS FOR HANDLING CHILDREN

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Five Tips for Handling Children

Raising kids is a difficult, yet important task. You can end with a happy and valuable member of our world or an unhappy problem for society to handle.

Even if you are not currently raising children, they are a big part of your future. Today's children are tomorrow's leaders. You can improve our future by helping parents raise their kids with these five tips.

The effect you have on children is enormous. You may not think your actions are shaping their lives, but the end result tells the story. The five tips below will help your success with your family and our future.

These quotes are from The Way to Happiness by L. Ron Hubbard.

1. "What does have a workability is simply to try to be the child's friend. It is certainly true that a child needs friends."

Who were the adults in your own childhood? Who were your favorite relatives? Your favorite leaders, sports coaches or teachers? If you smile at the memory, they probably treated you like a friend, not a child.

2. "Try to find out what a child's problem really is and without crushing their own solutions, try to help solve them."

A child is a regular person in a small body. You don't own a child. He or she is starting to think. If you encourage them to solve problems, you are building their confidence.

For example, asking the right questions is often more valuable to people than giving out answers. "Why are you crying? Why was he mean to you? What do you want to do about it? Okay. What might be a better way to solve it?"

3. "Observe them-and this applies even to babies. Listen to what children tell you about their lives."

For example, you might observe a baby calms down when a football game is on the television. You discover your three-year-old gets excited when painting pictures. An eight-year-old may tell you something you've never considered.

As well as making children feel heard or observed, you learn things as well.

4. "Let them help-if you don't, they become overwhelmed with a sense of obligation which they then must repress."

How do you feel if someone gives you money or favors, but refuses to let you return the favor in any way. You might think you have nothing of value for that person. If you are not allowed to help the person back, you'll soon dislike or distrust the person and refuse all future gifts.

"If you fold the napkins, it would really help me." "I'll give you an allowance if you take care of all the garbage for the house." "You'd help me feel happier if you sang a song for me."

5. "A child factually does not do well without love. Most children have an abundance of it to return."

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