How to teach your kids persistence

(image from http://www.themiraclejournal.com/)


"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again"

Who has not heard this quote - or said it to someone else to encourage them?  Persistence is such an important thing to have in life - and a vital thing to teach our kids to have.

Some kids seem more naturally persistent than others.  Second and third born children are perhaps more inclined to be persistent than first born - as they strive hard to keep up with their older siblings. I would say this is true of our girls. Our younger daughter is constantly pushing herself and persisting in trying things so she can do just as her big sister does. 

Parents play a vitally important role in whether or not kids develop more persistence as they get older.  I believe we should not allow our kids to stop and give in when things get tough; or come home from school for a minor aliment, or give too much attention and sympathy for a minor hurt or cut.  We need to encourage them with our words, supporting and encouraging them to not give in, and praise them when they battle on.

Kids sometimes need to be pushed to complete a task when they start to get bored, or tired or feel it's too difficult but they also need to be able to see a reason for their persistence.   Small attainable goals and rewards are very important so that kids learn the value of persisting.

I do wonder however about kids being persistent when asking for things from their parents or teachers.

When a child is told "no" they often ask again - or even ask the other parent, or another teacher the same question to see if they can get a "yes" from someone else. 
I've always believed parents should be firm when they say no, and not then later give in to their child when they ask again repeatedly for the same thing.  I know the temptation there is to give in just to stop the whinging - and many parents do.

But is this child not  just practising persistence? The very thing we want them to develop?  Is it really so wrong to give in to a child when they are so persistent? Should we not be praising and rewarding their persistence?

I'm sure there is a line there - where kids should be respectful of their parents and teachers - and the  rules!  But is it not also true that we should teach our kids to question things, and understand reasons.

Perhaps the compromise here is, that when we tell our children 'no' we should explain why.  Then if they decide to persist in asking for the same thing, encourage them to give reasons why we should say 'yes'

What do you think about this?  Do you ever give in to your children and say yes after initially saying no? Do you think there are different kinds of persistence? Or is any persistence to be encouraged?


How to improve eyesight

Have you ever heard of the Bates method for improving your eyesight without glasses?  It works on the theory that many sight problems are the result of habitual strain on the eyes, and exercises using the muscles surrounding the eyes can correct these problems.

I am short sighted, and got my first pair of glasses when I was in high school.  I never liked wearing glasses - even though I only needed them for distance work and didn't wear them all the time.  My first glasses were pink National Heath standard issue frames - not very pretty at all, but they were the free ones you got in England as a kid. 

I discovered the Bates method a few years later, and tried out the exercises with noticable effect.

One exercise - called palming, where you cover your eyes with your palms to totally block out any light and so completely rest your eyes, I found very effective.  After a few minutes of palming, as I took my hands away from my eyes, there was a split second where everything was sharply in focus, before things blurred once again.  This gave me hope that the exercises could work and it was possible to improve my eyesight.

Unfortunately, I think the fact that I only needed to wear my glasses occasionally, and the exercises need to be done daily and consistently, meant that I didn't stick at them, and today I still need glasses for driving, and other long distance things such as theatre and watching my daughters' school performances.

My eyesight has improved somewhat since I was a student.  After 10 years of travelling, not studying and not putting my eyes under strain, my glasses prescription is now much weaker than before.  I don't want them to deteriorate again. This is an improvement I want to continue! 

I found an excellent and very comprehensive website all about the Bates method of improving vision:

It explains the theory, how to do the various exercises, including some screen games you can do at the computer and also has case studies with stories of people who have improved their eyesight using these methods.

My interest in the Bates Method has been revived by the fact that I now have children who I want to have good and healthy eyesight.  But also because I am now working many hours a day on the computer - which undoubtedly is putting a strain on my eyes. 

I firmly believe that I can improve my eyesight by 'exercising' my eyes - just as I keep my body healthy and fit my exercising.  Now all I need to do is stick at it!
The fact that it isn't just my eyesight but that of my children that I'm concerned about,  should be a good enough incentive to stick at the exercises, and so keep our eyesight in top condition!

Do you wear glasses? Have you ever tried vision improvement exercises?  What do you think of this theory?