*parents in these days faces a lot of problems trying to teach their children how to function in this world..
*what qualities of heart and mind and spirit would we concentrate on and how implant them.....???
*many attributes are needed for life in crisis dominated world but it seems to me that six are essential .
-Self confidence:I would put this first , because only those who believe in themselves and in their capacity to meet challenges will be the crisis copers of the future.
*can parents really do anything to encourage self reliance in a child? , yes they can , and the secret is this :watch to see where a child's innate skills or talent lie , then gently(don't expect too much too soon) lead or coax him or her in those areas. It may difficult for father who was a crack athlete to understand and help a son who would rather play chess than football.
*if he does that one thing well , he will be won't be afraid to attempt them.once that attitude becomes ingrained, he will be what the world needs most:a problem solver.
-Enthusiasm:nothing great was achieved without enthusiasm , with children it's not so much a matter of implanting this quality most of them are born with it , as of protecting it.
*sometimes a small child's enthusiasm amusing grownups.
-Compassion:most children are exquisitely sensitive to pain or suffering in other living creatures.every parent who has had to face a child desolated by death of a dog or a cat knows this .
*this sensitivity can be preserved or it can be blunted , if the child sees his parents making sacrifices for less fortunate people , then that capacity is strengthen.
-Respect:this a word that has almost gone out of fashion , but I think we need to bring it back. I'm talking about subtle attitude that conditions a person's whole approach to life :the conviction that certain values are worthy of esteem and need to be preserved.
*many of our troubles , if you stop to think of it , may be ascribed to a lack of this quiet conviction. What is crime but lack of respect for law ?what is pollution but lack of respect for rights of others? What is inferior workmanship but lack of respect to quality?what is slanted news reporting but lack of respect for truth?I think it can, but not by pious hopes or wishful thinking . You have to demand.
*but demand what ?fair play , for one thing , which is elementary form of respect. It can begin with something as simple as toy sharing . It can continue through the story telling stage , where such qualities as courage , loyalty and honor can shown to be exciting and desirable to growing minds . You can teach respect for the nation by telling children about or taking them to see places where our history was made.
*This slow implantation of values can continue , with parents always the prime example , until a self imposed code of conduct takes over , a code that whispers to the child “you do thus and so because this is what people who set high standards do”,when that point is reached respect becomes self respect.
-Resilience:the ability to cope with change is certain to be a crucial requirement in the years ahead . Those who cling rigidly to status are the ones most likely to be victims of future shock.
*how do you help a child acquire this adaptability? The best way I know is to encourage those qualities that seem to be antidotes to brittleness of mind or spirit.
*warmheartedness , for example parents can encourage it by applauding it, admiring it , demonstrating it themselves through their closeness and affection. Children who receive a lot of love turn into an adult who can give it , and love is the greatest shock absorber of all.
-Hope:this last attribute may well be the one the world needs most. It's the bravest quality of all , this ability to look past dark times to brighter ones, to believe that questions do have answers that challenges can be met that problems will be solved.
*to bring up hopeful children , a parent needs to be hopeful themselves. Pessimism, fear and gloom are highly contagious ; if a home is saturated with them , child's natural optimism can hardly survive.
*if on the other hand , he is constantly taught that when there's a failure there's always a next time , that when hard times come they can build character and endurance ,this attitude in itself will make uncertainties seem less frightening and crisis less critical.
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