Raising A Loving Child

Try these tips to raise a child who cares for those around.

- Sue-Ann Baumgartel

Ask any child to name one thing that their parents are constantly nagging them about, and chances are the answer will be school related. How important it is to study hard and get good grades. After all, good grades are recognised as the result of work, application and studiousness, all admirable things in their own right. But how many children would answer kindness? In other words, how many parents would sooner encourage their children to be kind and to develop their social conscience over how many A grades they can achieve at school? How about helping the new girl at school find her way around? Surely that deserves as much recognition as being top of the class, if not more. In the name of excellence and achievement, personal gain and ambition have become the norm in many societies. Little thought is spared for the other person, with empathy and ethics falling to the wayside. Thankfully, there are many ways to teach your child about kindness and compassion. And if these traits and mindsets are not taught in the classroom, set up your own school at home. Children have a natural aptitude for compassion and empathy, which can be hard to balance with a child’s sense of self-importance and “me”. Just like a teacher should endeavor to bring out the best in a student, we have to bring out the best in our children.

Be the Best Yourself