Been working with my 8 year old on a proper handshake. Firm grip, eye contact, say your name clearly. He rolled his eyes at first but I caught him practicing with his buddies at school. That's the kind of thing that sticks with you. A man's handshake says everything about his character. My old man taught me this same way and I'm proud to pass it down.
These small things stick with them though. In 10 years when he's confident walking into a room it's going to be partly because of stuff like this.
That's awesome he's practicing it on his own now. I started a sticker chart with my kids for stuff like this and suddenly they're all about nailing the handshake. Eye contact is the killer part for them.
Nice work getting him to see the value in it. My 8 year old was the same way until he realized it made him feel more confident. Firm grip and eye contact really do open doors, even at that age.
Eye contact is the hardest part for 8 year olds. Getting him to maintain it while shaking hands is good prep for job interviews someday.
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Simple but important stuff. My 6 year old is starting to notice when adults do this and it matters to him. Good on you for teaching the fundamentals early.