Five Point Plan for a Child’s Success from a Mother of Five

Danielle Davis raised five children to successful adulthood. She currently teaches high school English but has worked with kids of all ages… both professionally and as a volunteer.  She takes parenting seriously but she is a ton of fun – even her kids would probably agree.

Danielle frequently gets asked for parenting advice and so she created a five point plan for success she shares with her friends and with us.

1. Celebrate where they are – If a child is good in sports but they are not good at reading, then celebrate their athletic skills. When you celebrate a child where they are, it gives them the confidence to be where you want them to be. Celebrate the small steps.
2. Did you have fun? – Danielle starts conversations with her kids with this question to ground and remind herself that her job is to be the cheerleader, not the coach.
3. Be your kid’s cheerleader — There are going to be plenty of people who criticize or tell them they are doing a task incorrectly, so each kid deserves at least one person who is always going to be their support person.
4. Be a role model — If you want your kid to have a certain behavior, then you need to do it yourself. If you want them to read, you should read yourself. If you want them to eat healthy, you need to do the same.
5. Make a plan and stick to it — There are many ways to parent and many books or resources that will tell you how. Decide your priorities and style and stick with it.

In the video, Danielle shares her experiences and stories on how she came to create this 5 point plan – including that she practiced and learned from watching her nieces. We also answer questions from the audience about how to talk to your kids about sensitive issues like race and sexism. It’s definitely worth the time to watch!