3 Ways Parents Model Great Leadership for Kids

Caring parents are children’s first and best teachers. Our kids are always looking to us for guidance on how to act even if it doesn’t feel like they listen to a word we say! But when it comes to leadership, parents often feel like they fall short. There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, and just like your child can learn to be a great leader in ways that feel right to them, so can you. Here are three ways to model leadership for your family:

Tell your stories

When your child experiences new difficulties that are just part of growing up like saying the wrong thing to a friend or failing at something, it can be hard to realize how common it actually is. Talk to your child about your best (and worst, when appropriate) leadership stories. And these aren’t always the stories where you do everything right--sharing your failures, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities can show that even the best leaders need to practice resilience!

Say you're sorry

Parenting mistakes happen. Sometimes we don’t act in ways that are aligned with the parent we want to be or simply make mistakes that have consequences for our children like accidentally scheduling a work call at the same time as your kid’s big game (oops!). Recognizing your mistake and allowing yourself to be vulnerable in your apology can go a long way to help your child feel understood. When it comes to their own mistakes, children will be able to talk to you and get your advice on how to make amends.

Make leadership a habit

You model great leadership every day as a parent! But you may not recognize that everyday acts like making sure sports uniforms are clean (structured thinking) and being clear in your instructions (communication skills) are setting a strong example of how lead yourself and others. Make it a habit to notice and talk about what you do intentionally to work well with others.