Doesn’t everybody have those moments where you just want to give up and crawl under a blanket and not hear of it any more so it can all disappear? Maybe you imagine starting anew in another life? But would that be worth it? Is it what we want to teach our children? Do we want to teach them how to hide, or do we want to teach them how to keep moving forward?
Teaching them to overcome.
The life of an adult is not a picnic in the park. There are bills to pay, budgets to manage, and working hours outside of the home. These obligations— and many others— may add stress, anxiety, worry, depression, and anger into the passion of being parents. What are we teaching our children when we face these emotions day in and day out? Are we teaching them to stand up and move forward, to have faith that everything will turn out okay? Or are we teaching them to bow down to these obstacles?
Teaching them by our example.
I have come to a point that a few of these onerous feelings have had their moments in my life which do not just affect me, but also affect my family. These are the moments that have an impact on our children. As parents, we have to remember who’s watching our every move. Those sounds of little feet coming down the hallway and those twinkling eyes that look up at us are our own heart and soul we call our children.
Teaching them to act with grace.
My children depend on me to guide them through this world, making my reactions a motive for how they will react in this world. My children are watching every move I make and every word I say. No, it’s not easy, but every moment counts. No, we are not perfect, but we can react with grace. I certainly don’t want my kids to show up on the news for quarreling in a store or any other place in the public eye. I’m teaching them to treat others the way they want to be treated.
Take my word that this is not a friendly world. We, as parents, are responsible for our children, and in turn, for making this world friendlier— one a child at a time.
How are you teaching your children to make the world a better place?
