Children thrive on positive reinforcement. As a parent, it is important to maintain your child’s favourable qualities and behaviours with constant communication and celebrate what makes him or her unique.

Children navigate the world through sensing, observing and experiencing everything around them. What we, as adults, show and tell them will shape the person that they become. This is why it is important to help your child build a positive perception of his or her skills, abilities and uniqueness through fulfilling and nurturing ways.

Our team at The Learning Lab wants to change this. We aim to place emphasis on our students’ behavioural development and social skills, as much as we aim to bring joy to their learning experiences. Read on to find out how you too can create an emotionally safe and loving environment for your young learner.

Unhealthy statements like these have psychological effects on the person saying it as much as the people who are around to listen to it. And because children are naturally intuitive, they pick up on these pretty quickly.

It has been widely observed that the mental health and behavioural attitudes of parents have significantly predicted self-esteem as the children grew up.

How can you demonstrate self-love and positive self-talk to your child?

First things first, be mindful. This simply means being aware of thoughts, emotions, words, actions and reactions. 

Teach your child positive self-talk by helping him or her to recognise his or her own failures as learning experiences rather than a non-success or a non-fulfilment. Even when your child feels defeated, encourage him or her to practise saying out loud: “That was a good lesson,” or “Now I know better,” or “This experience will be helpful in the future.”

Recognising small wins and celebrating consistent efforts is important.

This can even be something simple like encouraging your child to swing from the start to the end of the monkey bars at a playground. Remember that a little goes a long way.

Reinforce the idea that all tasks should be accomplished with as much enjoyment, enthusiasm and learning as possible, instead of competition, superiority or the illusion of glory.

Show genuine interest in your child’s efforts, offer support during the process and use reassuring phrases like, “You’re doing so well now, remember how you started?” or “How did you do that?” or “No matter what happens, I love you."

If your child is upset over something, you can ask: “Do you want to talk?” rather than saying, “Stop sulking” which devalues his or her emotions.

If your child insists on doing something you find uncomfortable, you can ask: “I want to understand why you want to do X” or “Can we compromise and find an alternative to X?” instead of than saying, “I already told you not to do that.''

If you want to follow-up on a task like homework, for instance; you can ask, “How is it going with your Maths homework? Do you need help?” as opposed to saying, “You have to do your Maths homework now”.

By being understanding and respectful, you are able to negotiate and discuss ideas with your child in a healthier way. This encourages conversations that forge stronger bonds between parent and child.

When a child feels that only performing as well as parents is good enough, that unrealistic standard may discourage effort. A child striving to meet advanced age expectations can also result in them having low confidence.

Additionally, your child also will have his or her own traits, quirks and various methods of expression. These too should be embraced as part of what makes your child unique and special.

More and more children are using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter and Youtube to connect with others. Prolonged usage may result in them being disengaged and and detached from real-world connections and interactions.

Limit your child’s interaction with the virtual world and encourage him or her to build human connections in person by organising age-appropriate events or simply taking trips to the park, playground and other social environments.

Fun extracurricular activities, such as martial arts classes, music lessons or dance sessions also open up social opportunities for children while they acquire new skills and build up their self-esteem.

We build on our students’ confidence, positivity and individuality through classes that allow them to work, think and act independently.

By providing ample opportunities for our students to learn, explore and grow, we believe that they will gain many valuable life lessons that will equip them for the future.

In fact, we stayed in contact with many former students and are heartened to know how many of them, to this day, continue to express their appreciation for our passionate teachers who provided the stepping stones for them to progress both academically and personally.

“The Learning Lab is more than just an enrichment centre — it is an established institution that has shaped me into the person I am proud to be today,” our former student, Kate Lim eloquently testified. “The culture of the place is that of reverence — respect for the teachers, the learning and the environment.”

“Every Saturday, my English teacher would bring us through a repertoire of enticing materials. There was a liberating sense of freedom in her classroom that I treasure deeply,” she added.

“Every input was valued and considered, and everyone felt safe contributing to an invigorating discussion. My English teacher’s surfeit of knowledge and prodigious wisdom on the world still inspires me today.”

You can find out more about our supportive culture through our students’ personal accounts here.