Karyl McBride

Make sure that your children’s activities involve giving to others or helping in some way. At first, they may just learn to be helpful to others, and eventually they can perform work in the community. Giving back teaches that other people are important.

Don’t define them by what they do (my son the soccer player, my daughter the ballet dancer). If you allow your children’s self-esteem to be centered on their accomplishments, you are setting up another generation of achievement-dependent narcissists who have to be “stars” to feel good about themselves.

Give them credit where credit is due whenever they realize their goals or visions. Let them know that you are very proud of what they have done and that you will also love them just as much if they do not become CEOs or star basketball players.