10 Qualities to Develop in Our Children

Sunset at Clearwater Beach, Florida

As parents and/or teachers, we sometimes focus way too much on our children's academics and performance that it's easy to lose sight of the fundamentals. It never hurts to take a break, regain our composure, and go according to our children's pace (as well as ours); because quite frankly, things can get quite overwhelming and/or discouraging--on both sides.

Tough teaching days like today enable me to reflect and refocus--and if need be, reset. 

It would be nice if I could recharge, too, but in a household with children, that's considered a luxury.

The day may not always turn out to be the way we had expected; thankfully, we can always try another way, if God so chooses to bless us with another new day.

There is always a way.

We do not need to force our kids to learn a certain way or expect them to do so just because that's the way everyone learns in school, for example. The coercion may work in the short-term (at a cost), but it may not always be sustainable and effective in the long-term.

If we think our children are failing at learning something, we should first consider examining our own shortcomings--perhaps, it is because we need to do some course correction on ourselves as parents. We shouldn't be quick to transfer the blame over to our children, neither should we be tempted to give up or take the easy road. We just need to refocus and change the way we think. It's hard to do that, though, especially when things get chaotic and/or dramatic with our children or even our family, e.g. a crying baby, family emergencies, sick family members, etc. But, as I had learned while I was still working full-time:

We should never let the chaos manage us. We need to soar above it.

In an attempt to rise above the chaos today, I took the time to write 10 qualities that I would like to develop in my children as part of our family's efforts to raise God-fearing young men who are also among the best and the brightest. As parents, we shall strive to teach our children to be able to:

1. Listen effectively, think critically, prioritize well, and act accordingly
2. Learn from and work with others who possess different styles, characteristics, and backgrounds
3. Stop what they're doing to help others in a crisis situation
4. Share and teach what they have learned to make/do things better
5. Inspire and lead others to action regardless of their position
6. Give credit to whom it is due
7. Motivate themselves to continually learn, do, and try something new
8. Get up and stay up and learn from their mistakes even after a big fall
9. Remain humble, truthful, and respectful no matter how far they've come along
10. Be hopeful, thankful, and resourceful even during the most difficult times

Looking at this list will help me remember that academics is but one of the many platforms in life in which to learn, cultivate, and exemplify these 10 qualities. When helping my children with their academics, I must be careful not to work against these 10 qualities.

As the day closes, I feel more assured that we will approach tomorrow more purposefully.  I am glad I took the time to reflect, refocus, and reset. Now, I can rest.