I was traveling the other day and I was on the tram to pick up my car when I saw a very loving dad and his son. They were both wearing the same style jacket and shoes, both sitting in the same posture. Same hairstyle, same body type, even their facial expressions were the same. I had to do a double take and giggle to myself. It was very cute and great to see them in the moment, enjoying each others company. You could tell that little boy wanted to be just like his Daddy and was going to follow in his Dad’s footsteps for sure.
Our children look up to us. We have the honor and responsibility to show them how to present themselves to the world. We protect their minds from the lies of fear, self-doubt, and self-condemnation when things don’t go as planned. At the same time, we are intentional in setting them up for success. Creating healthy habits of personal presentation is one area that can easily get over looked. Or we might assume that this should come naturally for them, which often isn’t the case.
When our children are little they may miss some social cues from others. They may even get picked on for things that are not in their control. So let us do all we can to help our children with the things they can control. Here are some ideas on things to teach your child about personal presentation:
-Create healthy habits
Feel free to use the good habits chart. It’s a downloadable you can find attached at the bottom of the post.
Their smile
Their clothes
Their posture
Their eye contact
Their voice
Their teeth and breath
Their body odor
Their personal cleanliness
Their hair
Their fitness
Their room
Their energy level
-Practice confident body posture (The Power Position)
Our posture may indicate the appearance of strength or weakness. Let’s teach our children how to stand tall with their shoulders back and chin up. Their shoulders and toes should be fully facing the person they’re talking to.
-Set the stage for your child to shine
When you are introducing your child to another adult, present them in a way that builds their confidence. Begin by stating your pride in them instead of giving them a label like “shy,” or “quiet”.
“This is my son, Steven. I’m very proud of him.”
“This is my daughter, Maria. She’s a bright young lady.”
-Build a positive first impression
Help your child practice introducing themselves to others. Use a warm smile and a firm handshake. We find that children need to practice this often.
“Hi, my name is ______. What’s your name? It’s nice to meet you.”
-Create a culture of charisma
For older children and teenagers, talk with them about how important it is to walk down the hall and connect with people as they pass. Look people in the eye, smile, and say “hello.” A simple smile and greeting creates an atmosphere around you that is full of energy.
When my house is clean, I love to have people over. When my house is not clean, I am very self-conscious about having people over.
In the same way, our children will have more chances to practice leadership if they practice their personal presentation.
When we understand how to present ourselves to the world, our confidence becomes contagious. With every first impression, we have the opportunity to share our authentic confidence with the world. If the first impression is not good, the opportunity to be a leader may be lost. Children who understand and practice personal presentation will see more open doors of opportunity. They will be able to walk into their destiny.
There is so much more we want to say about how to connect with others. Check out Tiffany Rave’s blog at http://tiffanyrave.com/. We are so passionate about the topic of connecting that we are going to take the next 8 weeks to bring you a blog series on communication.
Comments