All parents want their children to succeed while growing up, eventually becoming healthy and happy adults. What is less clear, however, is How to achieve this success. To answer this mystery, Ronald Ferguson, MIT-trained economist, along with journalist Tatsha Robertson have written “The Formula: Unlocking the Secrets to Raising Highly Successful Children”. This is a comprehensive treatise on parenting, involving studies on parents of some of the most successful individuals in the 21st century, including the mother of the CEOs of YouTube and the genetics company 23andMe. In this article, we unpack the eight parental roles that Ferguson and Robertson discovered. These form the formula for a master parents. To top it off, we explain how our Personality Test for Kids can give you the tools to make the most of these insights.

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# #1 The Early Learning Partner

Described by Ferguson as the most important role of the 8, this role involves parents inculcating a sense of curiosity in their children.  According to Ferguson, parents who actively focus on developing this skill enable their children to become literate by the tender age of kindergarten. This builds into an “early lead effect”, whereby children respond strongly to the excitement of a teacher that they are able to read. 

The LevelUp Personality Test for Kids contains tips which describe the Learning Preferences of Children. This helps you as a parent achieve excellence as an Early Learning Partner for your kid. For example, some children respond better to learning within a group setting, while others tend to be more individualistic in their approach. 

 

# #2 The “Flight Engineer”

Like a “Flight Engineer”, parents must also be alert to their surroundings, constantly making adjustments to the environment of their children. There is a fine line to be struck here, however - - You don’t want to be a helicopter parent.  Ferguson describes these types as being “so involved in their children’s lives they don’t create space for them to develop independent relationships, learn how to negotiate for themselves, or identify their own interests.”

This is perhaps the most important way in which LevelUp’s Personality Test for Kids can be useful within Ferguson’s “master parent” framework. To avoid being a helicopter parent, the first step is to understand them. By way of the BIG FIVE framework of Personality, LevelUp’s Personality Test for Kids effectively tells you what your child’s natural Strengths and Growth Areas are. It  even adds in a “Tips for Carers” section! Armed with all this information, you’ll be able to calibrate your involvement to be just right. This means that you won’t overstep the boundaries and cut in where your children are comfortable and strong exploring for themselves. Instead you’ll be there in a pinch, when they need you the most. 

 

# #3 The “Fixer”

The role of the “Fixer” underlines a parent’s commitment to their child’s success - as a “Fixer”, you must snap up each and every opportunity for your child’s betterment in school and in life. You must  be willing to “walk through walls to get it”, as Ferguson describes it. This doesn’t mean that you need to be super rich. What matters is that you do your best with the resources that you have.

The LevelUp Personality Test for Kids is directly applicable in this respect. It helps you unlock your child’s hidden potential, and the best part is that you (and your kids!) won’t have to walk through any walls! To the contrary, it has been specifically designed for children and family fun. Instead of a tiresome and boring multiple choice questionnaire that typical personality tests involve, the LevelUp Personality Test for Kids is designed as a Story-Based adventure. This keeps your kids engaged in the magical world of Gaia, full of creatures and characters. It’s also a 100% free to try out, so what are you waiting for, Mr or Mrs Fixer?

 

# #4 The “Revealer”

As a “Revealer” you help expand your Child’s horizons of the world by revealing what is of beauty in it. Whether its the Mona-Lisa, the Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower or just the relaxing park or library nearby, all this requires is that you get creative in thinking up interesting things for your children to experience. 

The LevelUp Personality Test has been designed specifically for this purpose. This Personality Test for Kids is a Story-Based adventure that has been inspired by a diverse range of real-world geographies, historical characters. As such, it  will definitely add value to your child’s appreciation of the diverse things that our world has to offer. 

 

# #5 The “Philosopher”

One of the most difficult things in life is discovering a sense of purpose. Naturally then, part of your role as a Parent is a Philosophical one - to broach questions such as the meaning of life with your kid. An unexpected perk of playing this role for your kids is that sometimes, you’ll be surprised with the way that your child sees things, and the insights that it might bring into your own life! 

Ultimately, there is no one purpose that all must pursue. In all cases, it depends on the person doing the pursuing. Here, the LevelUp Personality Test for kids is uniquely placed to help not just you, but your little one learn more about him/herself. With this self-knowledge, you can then begin to have more effective conversations about these philosophical topics. 

 

# #6 The “Model”

All Parents know that they are role-models for their children. Part of being a role model is to be clear about what values you wish to pass on to your children. We’re all human, so living up to the position of role model isn’t easy. What makes this even more difficult is that values in life are essentially subjective - this means that there is bound to be disagreement between your child and you about what they ought to do, which is only natural. 

On this front, What the LevelUp Personality Test for Kids does is that it helps to show the values which your child is naturally inclined to. Whether it is deep introspection/extroverted friendliness or firm, steady resolve/endless questioning, there is no doubt that the LevelUp Personality Test for Kids will help you pre-empt these disagreements before they happen. They will also show you which values your kid will be able to pick up the easiest. 

 

# #7 The “Negotiator”

In life, you will be faced with adversity and conflict. The role of the “Negotiator’ imparts the value of self-respect for your child. This means  that in the face of a world that can be harsh at times, he is able to stand up for himself and what he believes in. Growing up, this can be difficult in the face of power and authority. 

The quicker that your child knows his/her unique traits, the easier it will be for him/her to effectively take a stance on different issues. This is where the results from the LevelUp Personality Test for Kids can be a really effective way for your child to reach success!

 

# #8 The “GPS Navigational Voice”

Like the open road, life is full of uncertain twists and turns - what do you do when you get lost? You need a GPS of course! This GPS, in turn, comes from the parents. Ferguson describes the “GPS Navigational Voice” as the parent’s voice in the child’s head when faced with new and unfamiliar situations in life. Part of inculcating this effective GPS in your child, is what Ferguson calls “the burn”, or the determination to be a great parent. His research on successful parents reveals that every single parent had a vision of the kind of person that they wanted their children to become. 

 

Once again, the question of who you want your child to become is tied up with the question of who your child is, as a matter of nature. There is no one-size fits all approach, and every healthy family recognises that in the course of raising their children. The LevelUp Personality Test for Kids not only helps you understand your child at the psychological level, which will help you craft a vision for him/her - it also gives you tips and tricks for helping this visioN become a reality!