Many of the instructions we give our kids are about self-control. Self-control means being able to resist immediate temptations and avoid acting on impulse in order to achieve more important goals, such as learning or being kind. When kids have better self-control, they do better in school and get along better with others.Self-control doesn’t have to mean effortful, teeth-gritting willpower.
In fact, that kind of self-restraint is hard to keep up for long—even for adults. What works better is to help kids learn and use effective strategies for boosting self-control.
According to Angela Duckworth at the University of Pennsylvania and her colleagues, there are three main strategies that kids can use to make self-control easier to manage.
The simplest and often most effective strategy for self-control involves changing the situation to reduce temptation. This is a very powerful self-control strategy because it involves minimal effort.
