Make your children a good leader

Good leaders are good communicators, and this can be encouraged from an early age by working on reading and speaking. If your kids can't read yet, take over the duties and work on their listening skills. You can encourage this by playing children toys reading something to them and then asking them to relate the story back to you. If your children are old enough to read, ask them to read you a story. Also, make sure that you hold conversations with your kids. Ask questions and expect answers, no matter how silly they are, as this means that they are listening and learning to interact.

Encourage independence within safe limits. You can't expect a five-year-old to make his own breakfast, but he should be able to pour his own cereal, set his place on the table or take over the day's menu. Encouraging independent play is also important. Turn off the TV and give your kids access to interactive games and toys that develop the imagination, such as building sets, question and answer books and old-fashioned, plain toys. If the words "I'm bored" come into play, let the kids find a way to entertain themselves rather than offering a solution. This also helps develop the imagination