Over the past twelve years, I’ve been inspired by many heroic parents in my midst. The list of strong character traits I witness in their lives is too long to post here.
But of all of the traits parents carry, there are two that yield the strongest impact in equipping children to become thriving, independent, kind and purposeful humans. They are:
To be clear, I’m not talking about teaching patience and empathy to our children, although that will naturally follow.
I’m talking about embodying these traits in relation to our children. When a child experiences these traits in their parents, they become more trusting of themselves, more compassionate with others and better able to overcome struggle.
The good news is that patience and empathy are like muscles, the more you use them, the stronger they get.
Here are some tips to workout your patience and empathy muscles on behalf of your beloved children:
Practicing patience with your children
Practicing empathy for your children
“That must have really hurt your feelings.”
“You’re in a tough spot.”
“I can tell you feel really good about your decision.”
“I hear you saying you feel ______. Is that right?”
“I love you.”
“I’m with you.”
“I’m in your corner.”
I give credit and gratitude again to Jake Thompson from Heroes Academy, an Acton Academy in Boise, Idaho for bringing these traits to the forefront of the conversation about how parents can best support their children on their learning journeys. And I thank each parent I’ve met along the way. I learn so much from you.
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