2. They teach their kids social skills
In a fascinating study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked over 700 children for 20 years starting in kindergarten.
They found that the kids who played well with others, understood their peers’ feelings, and resolved problems on their own, were the most likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by age 25.
In comparison, the kids with limited social skills were more likely to get arrested, struggle with binge drinking, and apply for public housing.
Kristin Shubert, program director behind the foundation which funded this research, sums it up:
“From an early age, [social and emotional] skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted.”
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