It’s easy to get scared as a parent.
Watching the news, we see crime, drinking and driving, teen pregnancy, gang warfare, suicide. We wonder what’s going to happen to our children. In our fear, we may end up scaring our kids so that they live in fear as well. Or, we may look the other way, thinking that these things would never affect our families. Whatever the approach, most parents feel uncertain at times. We would like to know the secrets of healthy parenting in a world that often seems very unhealthy.
The idea of “developmental assets,” introduced by Search Institute in Minneapolis, gives a new sense of hope and practical direction for parents. Researchers at Search Institute have identified 40 assets that have a powerful, positive impact on young people.
Children and teenagers who have a lot of assets get involved in very few risky behaviours—the kinds of problems we worry about. And when young people have a lot of assets, they are much more likely to do the positive things we value.
Assets do make a difference. By incorporating them into your parenting, you can help your child grow up happy, healthy, and responsible. Future entries in this blog will explain further and give practical information on each asset.
Contact Sydney Bell for a presentation about Developmental Assets in your Community.
For more information, visit the Search Institute Site.
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