Every parent wants the very best for their children. As children navigate their way through school and friendship, it is inevitable that they will experience trials that will test their character and spirit. It is natural that a parent’s first instinct might be to jump in and intervene to right the course, but it is important to let children learn how to solve problems themselves. How does a parent do this?
With the help of Ted Talks for kids, parents can teach their kids certain values and equip them with character-building qualities to help them rise above troubling waters and live a meaningful life.
Why Ted Talks for Kids?
According to one psychologist, there are 7 values that parents can teach their kids to provide them the wisdom and guidance to become strong and successful people. These values include: teamwork, self-care, motivation, time management, accepting responsibility, kindness and possibility. Not all kids want to be lectured by an adult. So why not turn to 7 of the best Ted Talks for kids, by kids? With this approach, children hear these important life lessons from their peers. And, hopefully, the message will resonate more. We’ve culled Ted Talks and YouTube for the 7 best Ted Talks for Kids to help parents teach these enduring values to raise happy, confident and well-adjusted kids.
Teamwork
Any kid who plays group sports understands the importance of teamwork. Even though there are star players, there are other players on the team who provide assists. However, the team doesn’t stop at the sidelines. Other members of the team include coaches, who are guiding the players, and cheerleaders, who are cheering on the team. There are a whole lot of people contributing to the success and fun of the game. Hear from 4th grader Mark Durant-Bender about the perils of not being a team player and the power of working together as a team.
Self-Care
Parents across the world over talk about balance: work-life balance, school-family balance, work-family balance, you name it. It is especially powerful to teach children the importance of balance early on because it will help manage the expectations put on them, either by themselves or by others. Understanding self-care will reinforce the need to manage stress children might feel when their workloads seem overwhelming. Check out 3rd grader Simon Link advocating for self-care in the form of longer play times because of the social, emotional and physical benefits that arise from recess.
Read More: Research shows why kids need recess
Motivation
In order to be a better person, better student, or better friend, one needs to be intrinsically motivated. It is easy to get stuck in toxic places with feelings of doubt, self-sabotage or complacency. To overcome this, it is important to teach and encourage a growth mindset in children. One very motivated 5th grader, Carson Byblow, talks about what sets apart the mindset of a champion in this powerful Ted Talk for kids.
Read More: Encourage Education: Developing A Growth Mindset
Time Management
Procrastination has the potential to plague kids throughout their lifetime. Procrastination happens to everyone at one time or another. Having good time management skills is an important skill to teach kids early to set them up for success later in life. One of the best Ted Talks for kids on this subject is by Evan Moulton who shares 3 solid tips to avoid procrastination in life.
Read More: Tips to encourage homework motivation
Accepting Responsibility
One of the hardest things for many adults to say is “I was wrong.” Learning to own mistakes and accept responsibility for them is important to moving on from the hiccups and hurdles that life throws your way. Eleven year-old Kaitlyn Chavez shares the wisdom that she has learned from her mistakes in one of the best Ted Talks for kids about being okay with making mistakes and being willing to move on.
Kindness
Kindness manifests itself in all shapes and sizes. Adults should emulate kindness so children can learn how to be kind to others. When children are compassionate towards others, they grow as individuals. They also learn firsthand the impact that their actions have on others. Check out little Charlie Cooper talk about how his experiences with bullies empowered him to make a positive difference in his own school so that other kids could have a better experience than he did.
Read More: How to help your child if they are being cyberbullied
Possibility
Parents always want to encourage kids to reach for the stars, but do parents practice what they preach?From a child’s perspective, adults are always putting limits on what they can do. But, children think differently. Their world view is not hindered by constraints and their imaginations know no bounds. In one of the best Ted Talks for Kids, by kids, kidpreneur Noah Deguanco talks about actionable ideas, believing in oneself, and being able to spot opportunities as they present themselves. This is one Ted Talk you’ll want to watch with your child.
These are just 7 of the best Ted Talks for kids that relate back to values that will help guide them throughout their childhood and into adult life. After listening to these Ted Talks, encourage kids to talk or write about what they heard and what that message means to them. A child’s understanding of these values will increase when they are able to articulate and relate the message back to their own lives. Maybe next time they will be so inspired that they will record their very own Ted Talk for kids.
Photo Credits: Pexels.com | Blake Barlow
