As a mother, the greatest responsibility I have is to teach my child to love God, herself and others. It’s tough in today’s world for sure. I know I can’t do it alone. With a grateful heart, I often talk about “deposits” others have made into my Gracie. I’m thankful for a core of friends and family that regularly interact with Grace by loving, affirming, encouraging, praying for, playing with and even correcting her when necessary. These are critical pieces to not just my child’s development, but all children need to have these supports, even from outside their immediate family, in order to grow and feel part of their community - both natural & spiritual.

While checking out a new resource for working with young families and children, I came across Search Institute and found great stuff to help myself as well as to help me assist families with whom I work. It’s worth sharing.  Be an asset to a young person. Learn more about the building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up positive, caring and responsible.

The following is a just a portion of the 40 assets that all children and young people need to succeed. They provide a strong foundation for growing up confident, competent and capable. Share what you learn with a young person in your life today.  Check out the full piece on the Search Institute’s website under Developmental Assets, which includes ages preschool through adolescents, as well as the resource in many other languages.  http://www.search-institute.org/assets/assetlists.html

External Assets

Supports

1. Family support—Parent(s) and/or primary caregiver(s) provide the child with high levels of consistent and predictable love, physical care, and positive attention in ways that are responsive to the child’s individuality.

2. Positive family communication—Parent(s) and/or primary caregiver(s) express themselves positively and respectfully, engaging young children in conversations that invite their input.

3. Other adult relationships—With the family’s support, the child experiences consistent, caring relationships with adults outside the family.

4. Caring neighbors—The child’s network of relationships includes neighbors who provide emotional support and a sense of belonging.

5. Caring climate in child-care and educational settings—Caregivers and teachers create environments that are nurturing, accepting, encouraging, and secure.

6. Parent involvement in child care and education—Parent(s), caregivers, and teachers together create a consistent and supportive approach to fostering the child’s successful growth.
Empowerment

7. Community cherishes and values young children- Children are welcomed and included throughout community life.

8. Children seen as resources - The community demonstrates that children are valuable resources by investing in a child-rearing system of family support and high-quality activities and resources to meet children’s physical, social, and emotional needs.

9. Service to others - The child has opportunities to perform simple but meaningful and caring actions for others.

10. Safety - Parent(s), caregivers, teachers, neighbors, and the community take action to ensure children’s health and safety.
Boundaries & Expectations

11. Family boundaries - The family provides consistent supervision for the child and maintains reasonable guidelines for behavior that the child can understand and achieve.

12. Boundaries in child-care and educational settings - Caregivers and educators use positive approaches to discipline and natural consequences to encourage self-regulation and acceptable behaviors.

13. Neighborhood boundaries - Neighbors encourage the child in positive, acceptable behavior, as well as intervene in negative behavior, in a supportive, nonthreatening way.

14. Adult role models - Parent(s), caregivers, and other adults model self-control, social skills, engagement in learning, and healthy lifestyles.

15. Positive peer relationships - Parent(s) and caregivers seek to provide opportunities for the child to interact positively with other children.

16. Positive expectations - Parent(s), caregivers, and teachers encourage and support the child in behaving appropriately, undertaking challenging tasks, and performing activities to the best of her or his abilities.
Constructive Use of Time

17. Play and creative activities - The child has daily opportunities to play in ways that allow self-expression, physical activity, and interaction with others.

18. Out-of-home and community programs - The child experiences well-designed programs led by competent, caring adults in well maintained settings.

19. Religious community - The child participates in age-appropriate religious activities and caring relationships that nurture her or his spiritual development.

Posted under Children