Teaching Kids Humility in this “Over the Top” Time
hu·mil·i·ty
(h)yo͞oˈmilədē/
noun
a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
synonyms: modesty, humbleness, meekness, diffidence, unassertiveness
Kids nowadays are fueled with ego trips beyond our imagination and their comprehension. It has become the “Me Me Me” epidemic. Changing of times, schools systems, family dynamics and the world in general can lead our children astray when it comes to giving back and being humble.
It’s time for parents to take the reigns and teach our children that aged old concepts “it is better to give than to receive” and “no one person is bigger than the whole”.
With internet and social media the norm of today “likes” and “shares” have become more important than “content” and “conversation”.
It is true that as a parent we need to teach and build our children's’ self esteem but in some cases we have gone way overboard and created little monsters that feel they are “entitled”. Children receive high praise for ordinary efforts which confuses them about what they are actually good at. Our children have lost the ability to assess their gifts/talents and how they can be used for the goodness and uplifting of others. With this they can lose their sense of purpose.
Here are some things that we can do as parents to show our children that there are more important things than being the center of attention.
Be humble yourself. Admit when you are wrong and that you don’t know everything. No One knows everything and that’s okay, it’s no big deal.
Don’t shield your child from everyday frustrations. Let them figure some things out on their own. Don’t always swoop in to help. Give your child the opportunity to realize their limitations. Their self image will stay realistic and this also helps them resolve to work things out.
Advocate grace and good manners especially during competition. When they win at something also point out how you were proud of how they treated the other team after the game.
Take turns creating conversation at the table during meals. It is important to let every family member get a little airtime. Author Elizabeth Berger states “A child who feels secure that his/her turn is coming, and there’s enough attention to go around, is a child who’s likely to recognize that they don’t need to brag or dominate conversations away from home either”
Give your child chores. Learning to do a menial task carefully, thoughtfully and thoroughly is an important life lesson. It helps them realize and respect that there are people who do this tasks for a living and that respect for others is the cornerstone of humility.
Make others look good. Let your children see that whether it’s a win or a loss it was a team effort.
Raising a child with humility does not mean you must withhold praise altogether or beat down their spirit. Just try to raise them to be confident, yet humble enough to put others before themselves.
Healthy Humility.
