Podcast Discusses How Caregivers Can “Future Proof” Their Children
While no caregiver can know what their children will face in the years to come, that uncertainty doesn’t prevent them from doing what they can to prepare them for the future.
In a new episode of the Thriving Kids podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for the Child Mind Institute, discusses the concept of “future proofing” children with Lisa Damour, PhD, a psychologist and best-selling author.
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The list of things that Anderson and Damour discuss that caregivers can do to support their children in the long run includes protecting sleep, prioritizing family meals, encouraging meaningful hobbies, and practicing flexible thinking and emotional durability.
The podcast provides several tips on building sustainable habits and fostering curiosity and resilience, including:
Protect your child’s sleep like it’s nonnegotiable: Set a consistent bedtime and stick to it. Build in screen-time before bed, so children are already winding down. Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and free of distractions such as glowing screens or exciting toys. Try to reserve the bed for sleep only, so it doesn’t become a place where homework or scrolling happens.
Build in regular, low-key time together: Aim to eat together regularly - it doesn’t have to be dinner and it doesn’t have to be every night. Keep phones and screens off during designated family time, even if you aren’t having a big talk.
Support pursuing hobbies for fun: Encourage children to try new things simply because they are curious, not because it will look good on a resume. Help them to find something that’s genuinely theirs. Celebrate their effort and progress - and not just the end result - to help build their confidence and take on bigger challenges.
Model adaptability and resist the urge to prevent every hiccup: Help children understand how to adapt to change by showing them what to do. It’s OK to get frustrated when plans fall through, but show how you’re going to adjust so children have a template. When children are faced with a problem, resist the urge to overprotect or overdirect - let them navigate small setbacks on their own first.
To learn more, listen to the latest Thriving Kids podcast episode.