Teach our small children to love, no to hate.
Children do not do what they’re told, they do as they see. Teaching our children responsibility for their actions has to be modeled. It’s our greatest responsibility as parents to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be. Our small people watch everything, we know that, they are sponges, and they repeat what they see. That’s how they learn – through repetition.
We’ll feel proud at their accomplishments, but can we take responsibility for behaviors they use that reflect a lack of kindness and personal responsibility? The child’s personality will reflect the unhealed parts of her/his parents. Can we look inwards and see what unhealed part of us that they are reflecting back to us when they use behaviors that we wish were more compassionate?
Parenting is the most challenging job we’ll ever do. We don’t get “brownie” points for looking after their survival needs, that’s our responsibility to ensure they’re safe and protected. We’d do that for any living being. The real challenge is how we grow and feed their minds, heart and soul. How we nourish and nurture their emotional growth and response in this world it’s a very tough job. And there’s not one parent among us who got it all right.
We’re only human beings. If we have the courage to look kindly and with compassion and wisdom, we’ll see that our children heal us, not the other way around. They will reflect to us every part of our psyche that we need to grow and develop. The parts of us that can judge and punish others with our actions, thoughts and words. They are our gifts. They either force us into self healing, or we keep the blinkers on and continue to blame and judge.
The education we want them to receive in the classroom is a minute part of the education they need to live well and responsible lives among their extended brothers and sisters in this world. Our internal healing, the way we view life, how we develop our own inner compassion for self and humanity, becomes our children’s inheritance. Invest compassionately and wisely!
Love,
Norah Finn.
