Markers and crayons and binders and pencils, lunch bags and lunch fees and Kleenex for sneezes, loose-leaf and college-ruled paper galore, these are a few of the school supplies! (to the tune of “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music)
I can’t believe it is that time of year again! School enrollment is in full swing, and school supplies are for sale in stores. While your school will give you a list of material objects to buy, I wonder what sort of non-material supplies we need to make sure children have in their backpack on the first day. Character traits are just as important, if not more so than the markers and pencils we send them with. These traits guide their interactions with peers and teachers, and are important for a student’s success at school.
Today I want to look at a few character traits in particular
Acceptance-When we think of acceptance, we typically think of teaching children to accept others. However, teaching them how to accept themselves is just as important. When a child is able to accept themselves just the way they are, they are more likely to accept others, just the way they are.
Empathy-This is different from sympathy. Where sympathy says “I’m sorry,” empathy says “Wow that must have been really hard for you.”
Honesty– Children may face some tough situations at school, and it is important to instill that honesty is important, even when it is not always in a situation that may make their peers happy.
Loyalty– In today’s bullying culture, I feel that loyalty means that children have their friends’ backs and will not abandon them, even when they are made to be an outcast at school.
Positivity-Having a positive attitude going into difficult subjects or situations can often change the outcome. Role model to your children how to be positive even in stressful situations.
What other character traits do you hope your child takes to school with them?
An Untangled Life 