While it’s important for children to develop their independence, they must also learn how to work with others, compromise, and respect those around them. There’s a lot of benefit to working in a team. Children can learn from one another and also have help in reaching their goals. It takes a lot, especially if they’re not used to it. They will need to be patient, communicate, and think about those other than themselves but it’s something that children are more than capable of. Here are some ideas that were shared with us by a private school in the West Midlands on how to raise a team player below.
Sport
The best way to learn anything is to get stuck in. Sport involves teamwork and is a way that children can get used to this dynamic. They will be able to contribute and be a part of a real team where they can work alongside others and work towards a common goal.
Games Night
If there’s enough of you, you can have small competitions and games at home where you split off into teams and work together. That might be a game of Pictionary or something sporty like rounders.
Consideration and Empathy
Good team players think about their members as well as themselves. They remember that they’re a collective and not just in it for themselves. If they see a member of their team struggling, they will need to jump in and offer help. This means that they will need to develop an awareness for others and is something that they can learn to do by putting themselves in others’ shoes and practising empathy.
Communication
There’s also the matter of communication. They will need to talk to their team members to coordinate their efforts and pitch their ideas.
We hope that these ideas help. For more parenting resources, see my other blog posts.