"When we raise our kids, we focus on the traits measured by grades and SAT scores. But when it comes to the most important things like character and how to build relationships, we often have nothing to say. Many of our public policies are proposed by experts who are comfortable only with correlations that can be measured, appropriated and quantified, and ignore everything else. "
It's so true. I'm pretty sure, with a basic level of intelligence, good grades can be tiger-mom'd out of just about anyone. Test scores maybe a little less so, but still, practice helps. I think you can train just about anybody to be hardworking. But how do you raise a kid so that they are kind, honest, generous, loving and loyal? It's a much more difficult thing. And how much of it is dependent on the child's innate personality, and how much on the parenting?
Is it really all about going on horrible camping trips, a la Calvin and Hobbes?
I was just thinking about this the other day because I have started to identify traits in other (unnamed!) people that I want my kids to have. The other day I was thinking, if I have a son, I want him to be just like _____. What a scary thought, first of all. No babies are on the horizon for me, don't worry. Secondly, how on earth do I go about instilling virtues in my children?
Oh, I know it's not impossible. And now that I think about it, Dad had a very large book called "The Book of Virtues" that we used to read out of. (Haha! It can't be that simple.) I'm sure leading by example is a large part of it. I certainly admire my parents for oh, one million reasons.
No doubt I will be calling them for advice when it's my turn to be an example. All joking aside, I think they did a pretty good job. Not that Amanda and I are perfect by any means, but I think we try hard to be good? After all, that's what Dad tells me to do when I leave again after being home for a while - Be good.
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