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8 Building Blocks

for Healthy Child Development

What are the 8 Building Blocks?

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

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.

1. Support

Children need to be surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.

2. Empowerment

Children need to feel valued and valuable. This happens when youth feel safe and respected.

3. Boundaries

Children need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best.

4. Constructive Use of Time

Children need opportunities—outside of school—to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.

Internal Building Blocks

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.

5. Commitment to Learning

Children need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities.

6. Positive Values

Children need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help them make healthy life choices.

7. Social Competencies

Children need the skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions, and to cope with new situations.

8. Positive Identity

Children need to believe in their own self-worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.

The Impact of the Building Blocks

Research has shown that when children have more of these building blocks present in their life, they are:

Next Steps for Your Family

Download 8 Building Blocks Printable PDF

Explore the fundamental building blocks for developing healthy qualities in young people. 

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