How concerned are you about your kid’s character? Or are you more concerned about what they achieve in school or in sports?
What do you want for your kids beyond a college education and the ability to get a good job when they are done?
Perhaps it’s for them to find fulfillment in their work, to find a person to love and spend their life with or to be leaders in their communities. Whatever aspirations you have for your kids, don’t ever forget that WHO your kids become is much more important than WHAT they do, although WHO they become influences WHAT they do.
There is no doubt that if your kids develop the right character traits, they will not only be amazing humans, they will also accomplish great things.
So if you focus on helping them become amazing humans instead of pushing them to achievements as they are growing up, you will accomplish both objectives. But if you only focus on their achievement (good grades, athletic accomplishments, etc), teaching them the character traits that make them amazing humans may take a back seat.
It’s like putting the cart before the horse. Great character is the horse that pulls the cart of achievement.
So, even as you encourage your child to study hard, be diligent in their tasks, work hard in sports or practice daily in their music, remember that good character is what will take them further in life than their accomplishments.
Here are a few character traits that will make them truly amazing humans:
Love. Teach them to love others no matter what they look like or even how they act.
Joy. Show them that joy can be a strength in their life. Gratefulness and positivity will grow the joy in their lives.
Peace. Teach them to strive to be peacemakers, not stirring up conflict and seeking for ways to resolve it.
Patience. Model for them the value of patience when it comes to dealing with others and when it comes to waiting for things they want.
Kindness and goodness. Such simple and overlooked traits. Help them learn to treat others kindly, in the home, in the store, with strangers and friends alike.
Faithfulness. Teach them the value of their word and the importance of following through when people are depending on them. Help them understand the value of earning someone’s trust.
Gentleness. Gentleness often gets a bad name because it’s seen as “weakness”. But I’ve often heard gentleness described as “strength under control.” Teach your child that they can be strong and stand up for what’s right and still be gentle about it.
Self-control. This is a big one for so many people today. The ability to self-discipline and control their own actions and words will keep your kids out of a lot of trouble and will also help them push themselves to achieve big things.
If you focus on your kid’s character being the horse that pulls the cart, there’s a very good chance that the cart will be filled with some pretty amazing accomplishments.
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