With so many sad and frightening events recently, it is more important than ever to consider how to raise children who will one day change the world. With that in mind, keep reading for some pointers on how to raise future adults who are kind, compassionate, and respectful.
Every parent hopes to see their children grow up and completely change the world. We imagine ourselves as future First Ladies, hearing our names mentioned in Nobel Prize speeches, or walking the red carpet with our future Oscar winner.
But here's the thing: your children don't have to become world-famous celebrities, politicians, or scientists to make a difference in the world. Remember that it takes a large number of people working together to effect change. Individuals are the keyword.
What does it mean to “raise them right”? While this may mean different things to different people, I believe it means raising children who are kind, compassionate, and respectful of all people. Children who have a strong sense of empathy and a desire to help others. Basically, children who will make the world a better place. Let's talk about what we can do to make that happen.
Teach your children to respect other people's cultures.
We all know how important it is to teach our children about other cultures, but it is even more important to ensure that they respect them. Part of that entails ensuring that we are not appropriating the important traditions of others. When you and your children make your own headdresses to learn about Native Americans, you may have good intentions, but that headpiece is actually part of a sacred tradition.
If you're having trouble imagining the harm of such things, consider your own important cultural traditions. For example, if you are a Catholic, consider how you would react if someone served Communion to teach their children about your faith. Of course, you want to teach your children about other cultures as well. Simply use more respectful methods. You can, for example, read books by authors from those cultures or visit cultural centers.
Prioritize compassion over correctness.
If everyone valued compassion over being “right,” the world would be a much brighter place. If we want to change how people behave on a large scale, we must first change how we react to our children on a personal level.
Remove the words "I told you so" from your vocabulary for the sake of your children. Seriously, make that phrase illegal. Add it to your list of forbidden swear words. Instead of just taking your word for it that it's a bad idea, react with empathy the next time your kids learn something the hard way. Remember that you, too, learned many lessons the hard way.
Make kindness a daily priority.
We have a tendency to think of random acts of kindness as something to do only during the holidays. On Thanksgiving, we could volunteer at a soup kitchen or adopt a family for Christmas. While those are wonderful ideas, spreading kindness is more than just a checkbox on a holiday to-do list. It is something we must keep in mind every day.
The good news is that you don't have to spend money to teach your children compassion. Remember that being kind is more about opening your heart than it is about opening your wallet. Start a family dinner tradition where everyone talks about something nice they did or saw that day. If you need some inspiration, try reading one of these wonderful books that teach children about kindness.
Talk to each other rather than at each other.
We adults spend far too much time talking at each other rather than to each other. Every day, we do it to strangers on social media, to each other at the dinner table, and to our children. We will not be able to change the world unless we learn to truly listen to one another. If we all work together to address this on a personal level, we will raise a generation that truly understands how to interact with one another.
Make it a family rule that no one can speak at the same time and that no one can interrupt them. Use the "talking stick" technique. The person holding the stick has the opportunity to speak. Listen actively, no matter what method you use. Don't just fall asleep until your son has finished telling you about his new Minecraft world. Only by demonstrating that you value what he has to say will he learn to value what you have to say.
Inquire about how they would change the world.
One of the most effective ways to raise children who will change the world is to simply ask them how they would change it. Children see things in such a different light than we do. After all, they haven't had a chance to become jaded. They may have ideas that we would never have thought of on our own.
So, talk to your children about what's going on in the world (age-appropriately, of course). Then, ask them, "What are your thoughts?" Ask your older children, such as preteens and teenagers, what they would do to change things. Perhaps more importantly, ask them what we can do to make the world a better place for them to live in.
Set a good example.
This should be self-evident, but I'll say it anyway. If we want to raise children who will change the world, we must be willing to change the world ourselves. Show them, not just tell them, how to be a good person. We can't keep passing the buck to the next generation, hoping for the changes we want to see. We must do better now. Perhaps, if we get it right, our children will not have to change the world. All they have to do now is keep the momentum going.
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