The core subjects, foreign language, science projects, music lessons, ball teams... we teach our children many things each day of their lives. But do we as parents keep in mind that our children need to be taught character qualities that will serve them for the rest of their lives?
Character qualities are those things that make the difference between being a good person and a great person. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams, these are what I think of when I hear of character qualities that can make a person great. These men were more than just nice people. They lived honesty, dilligence, patience, and strove each day to be what they believed was a good man.
Dilligently teaching our children to live the character qualities of mercy, justice, honesty, thankfulness, humbleness, dilligence, and hard work is becoming more difficult. The culture in which we live no longer values these characteristics. Even though the great men that we see as leaders of our times exhibit these characteristics. Though it may no longer be the "politically correct" way to teach our children - character qualities are never out of style.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Get 'Em Reading
Reading is one of those absolutely necessary subjects that really make or break how your child learns. Learning to read is essential. We use it in all types of learning from math to science, from technology to music. Reading is the foundation to learning - the gateway to knowledge. So, getting our children reading for fun and for enjoyment is paramount to breaking beyond the "reading cuz I have to" syndrome.
Yet, the underlying question is - How? How do we get our children from reading to reading for recreation? My best advice is to take them to the library, buy them good classic books that have inspired readers for generations, and show them the importance of reading by example. There are awesome online reading programs out there as well that will really get your child interested. If they can see that reading is important to all members of their family, they will realize that it must be essential for life. Remember that old adage, "More is caught than taught?" Your child will catch the reading bug if they can see it exhibited in your life!
Yet, the underlying question is - How? How do we get our children from reading to reading for recreation? My best advice is to take them to the library, buy them good classic books that have inspired readers for generations, and show them the importance of reading by example. There are awesome online reading programs out there as well that will really get your child interested. If they can see that reading is important to all members of their family, they will realize that it must be essential for life. Remember that old adage, "More is caught than taught?" Your child will catch the reading bug if they can see it exhibited in your life!
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