Underestimating Character
February 16, 2015
Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience.
-Johan Huizinga
“If there’s one thing I hope to get right in my children, it’s their CORE. Character, moral fiber, an inner compass … these things lay the foundation for a happy, healthy future. They matter more than any report card or trophy ever will.” This is the observation of Kari Kampakis in her Huffington Post article, “10 Common Mistakes Parents Today Make (Me Included).” She continues…
“None of us can force character on our kids, and at age 10 or 15 character won’t mean much. Children care about short-term gratification, but we, as parents, know better. We know that what will matter at 25, 30, and 40 is not how far they once threw the football, or whether they made cheerleader, but how they treat others and what they think of themselves. If we want them to build character, confidence, strength, and resilience, we need to let them face adversity and experience the pride that follows when they come out stronger on the other side.
“It’s hard to see our children fall, but sometimes we have to. Sometimes we have to ask ourselves whether intervening is in their best interest. There are a million ways to love a child, but in our quest to make them happy, let us stay mindful that sometimes it takes short-term pain to earn long-term gain.”
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