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Years of research have determined that there are a number of essential building blocks for healthy development in young people. The more we nurture and draw on these building blocks, the better equipped our kids will be to overcome obstacles and struggles and become healthy, caring, responsible and God-honoring adults.
External building blocks are what God has placed in a child’s environment to assist them in their growth and development. Not all of these building blocks will be immediately apparent as building blocks. Some may need to be cultivated before they bear fruit. Yet all of them have the potential to impact your child for life.
Children need to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.
Children need to feel valued and valuable. This happens when youth feel safe and respected.
Children need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best.
Children need opportunities—outside of school—to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.
God equipped your child with an array of internal resources. These include the personal skills, commitments and values they need in order to make good choices, take responsibility for their life and become independent and fulfilled. These Internal Building Blocks function as reservoirs within your child. They can be filled or depleted, depending on the circumstances. Your job as a parent is to keep those reservoirs as full as possible.
Children need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities.
Children need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help them make healthy life choices.
Children need the skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions, and to cope with new situations.
Children need to believe in their own self-worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.
Research has shown that when children have more of these building blocks present in their life, they are:
Explore the fundamental building blocks for developing healthy qualities in young people.
The 8 Building Blocks Assessment will provide helpful insight into unique areas where you can help your child develop.
Dive deeper into the 8 Building Blocks through signing up for our Email Series to receive application steps.
