Buffett advises parents to lead by example rather than just giving lectures – science confirms the effectiveness of this approach.
Famous investor Warren Buffett distilled his advice on raising children into one sentence: "If you want to have good kids, be a good parent." While this may sound cliché, child development research confirms the effectiveness of this approach, writes Inc.com.
How Buffett's Method Works
The 95-year-old head of Berkshire Hathaway shared that he often misbehaved in his youth, but his father, a stockbroker and congressman, reacted calmly: "I know you can do better." This quiet, non-confrontational approach helped Buffett recognize his mistakes and develop emotional intelligence.
"You don’t give lectures about bad things if you’re doing them yourself," Buffett explains. Children, observing their parents' behavior, absorb values and norms without excessive control or conflict.
Scientific Confirmation
A study published in the journal Developmental Psychology showed that empathy, integrity, and emotional intelligence are passed down from generation to generation. When parents demonstrate these values through their own example, their children also learn to exhibit these qualities and carry them into adulthood.
Another study in New Zealand over more than 40 years proved that cognitive control—the ability to manage one’s emotions and make considered decisions—was the main factor for financial and life success in adulthood, even more important than IQ or family wealth.
Buffett's approach to parenting can be summarized as follows: live according to your values and demonstrate kindness, honesty, and responsibility in everyday life. Children, observing this, adopt behaviors and values, which shapes them into emotionally mature, kind, and successful individuals.
