For over 25 years I have been teaching ballet to kids, mainly girls, from 2 years old through to their teens – I have learnt a lot and he’s what I know about raising successful kids.

I have had the pleasure of seeing so many different personalities and parenting styles. Each child, each parent and each family has taught me something. Some teach me wonderful things. Others teach what I definitely will not do! I learn what to do and what NOT to do.

But here’s what I know about:

Success

We all want our kids to be successful but sometimes we focus so much on the end result that we forget its a continual journey. Raising successful kids is about giving them the opportunity to learn skills rather than getting to the finish line.

  • Your child’s success in life isn’t about what their marks are at school or university or what their job will be. Their success comes from the soft skills they develop like tenacity, logic, persistence and courage.
  • Doing your child’s work for them will take away their ability to be a critical thinker, a problem solver and a leader
  • Failing when they are little is a good, good, great thing! Let them fail and then be there to give them a hug at the end. Let them fail when the ramifications of their failures aren’t enormous.
  • Don’t obsess over winning. Kids that win aren’t always the kids that go onto great things but the kids that work consistently hard usually do.

Kindness

We want our kids to be kind to both themselves and to others so we need to model that behaviour.

  • Your child learns how to treat people from you, so be kind first.
  • Be careful what you say about your own appearance in front of your daughter, she is listening and she will be equally critical of herself as you are of you. 

Teenagers need our ears more than our words

Time

As parents, we give a lot of advice a lot of the time….but sometimes listening and just spending time is more powerful.

  • Teenagers need your ears more than they need your words, its a time when a lot of parents go back to work full-time but this is when they need you. 
  • Cars are THE best space for a debrief, there’s something about not facing you directly that makes it easier to spill everything. If you can, pick them up from school & activities

And finally (and this is coming from someone who makes their living providing extra curricular activity, so you know its true!!!)

Rest

  • Over scheduling your child won’t make them happy, successful or fulfilled. It won’t teach them about rest and well-being. It will only over commit and tire them out. Choose your activities wisely.
  • Boredom is the catalyst for creativity and creativity creates avenues for success.

I really believe a good ballet school can provide your child with the framework to be a confident, successful human with a good sense of their own mental and physical health.