6 traits to instill in our kids

I totally believe that our kids are our future and the future of the world! They will shape the world we live in, and influence future generations. Didn’t we do the same? Try to make the world a better place for our kids! Now they are going forward to do the same for the next generations.

As parents we do our best to raise kids with morals, values and beliefs we were raised with. Irrespective of what faith or culture we follow, what traditions we may love, or what family principles we hold closest to our heart; there are some traits or skills that we all should try to instill in our kids to make them successful and most importantly, to make them good human beings.

Why to teach kids these traits?

So why do we need to imbibe some of these skills or traits? To begin with, this will make sure your child has a well-developed personality and they can be successful and happy in life. Some of these help with interpersonal as well as intrapersonal skills. These traits can start as small actions or gestures, which can then become habits and eventually lifelong skills.

These traits that our kids (and we all too) should imbibe will lead to a world where people are loving, caring, empathetic, tolerant, patient and be able to embrace differences. 2020 is coming to an end, and as we reflect I am sure we all realized something . We all may have come to a common consensus about what truly matters in life. As we as parents try to raise our kids, we can make sure that children are brought up knowing and developing these skills for life.

6 traits all kids should imbibe

Read on about the 6 traits that I believe all kids should be taught and they should value:

1. Respect

You get what you give and it all starts with respect. Respect others the same way you respect elders, family members, friends and neighbors. There should be no difference. Respect is the basic ingredient for a happy life. Respect other people for their opinions, views and thoughts. Even though the other person may be totally different from you, respecting each other and embracing differences are keys for tolerance and peace in the world.

2. Compassion

We need to raise compassionate kids: kids who are not only not bullies but also the ones who will not be bystanders for bullies. Kids who have feelings and are aware of how others may feel. Be aware of surroundings, and be careful about what you may speak or do. Starting with the compassion for human beings, we can then learn to be compassionate for other causes. Examples may include compassion for animals, right for equality or fairness, poverty and/or under-privileged group of students, or our environment earth. It all starts small, but remember as parents it is very important that we teach and show them how to be compassionate and take a stand.

3. Grit

Grit requires perseverance and passion, and the decision to not give up. We need not only students to have grit, but also adults. Life is not fair and life can be hard. Teaching grit makes children pursue and persist, and not give up when things get hard. As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We should teach our kids that things can never be in our control 100% but with patience, perseverance and right mind set, we can over-come challenges, be resilient and come out successful in the end.

4. Honesty

Similar to integrity, honesty is a life long goal. To be truthful and follow the principle consistently is a critical habit for success and happiness. To know what is right, and to be able to honestly make decision throughout the life is a principle that all kids should learn. We have to remember and teach our kids that short cuts do not work in life, and honesty will take them places even if the path is longer.

5. Confidence

Yes confidence can be taught. Starting at a young age, let your child explore and make their own small decisions. Do not always tell them what to do, rather guide them and let them take their own stand. Support them in decisions, and let them face disappointment sometimes. It is part of growing up, and don’t we as adults also make wrong decisions sometimes? Confidence is knowing that people around you support you, and the belief in your heart that you have the skills to make your own decisions and that you will come out victorious in the end.

6. Kindness

It goes without saying that kindness may be the most important skill that we may need in this world right now. Kindness goes hand in hand with compassion, and it all begins at home. Encourage kids when they are kind, however small the gesture may be. As the saying goes, choose being kind over being right.

When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind

Wayne W Dyer 

Food for thought

As we are raising our kids to live in the world we are leaving for them, these six skills may give them a head start to become ideal future citizens of tomorrow. It is not only the children we are raising but also us who can imbibe more respect, love, compassion, grit, honesty, confidence and kindness in our own lives. Remember that the best way for a child to learn is when they watch you. Always model good behavior, because action always speak louder than words. In the end, it is not what we said but how we made them feel that will make all the difference.

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

What to take from this

Kids should be raised to be respectful, kind, compassionate, honest, confident and having grit. These six skills will give them principles to hold, values to believe in and a compass point to always move in the right direction.

For more parenting tips read 7 habits to cultivate, 4 types of hobbies to pursue, learning as a parent, have you made a difference today, joys of motherhood, and teenage years.

I want to end this post with part of a beautiful poem by Kahlil Gibran:

Your children are not your children.
They are sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.