January 20, 2024

Quote of the Week

"Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character." - Heraclitus of Ephesus

Ways To Build Character In Children

"In some schools, structured character education is a part of the curriculum, right alongside reading, writing, and math. Schools seek to instill the values of integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, and citizenship in their students to strengthen the social fabric of the school and community. But building character for kids can't just happen in the classroom.

The qualities of character develop through an interplay of family, school, and community influences and the child's individual temperament, experiences, and choices. Parents have many opportunities and tools to build their children's character. Using them will give you the joy and satisfaction of seeing your kids grow into people of integrity and compassion." [Read Article]

Reading Corner

Video of the Week:
Lessons of the Geese
(3 mins)

One element of building character in children is fostering a culture of community-mindedness. Watch this week's recommended video together with the children in your life to take inspiration and learn wisdom from the natural world. The organic cooperation between the geese as they fly together shows us how people who share a common sense of direction, community and deep trust can travel farther by working together and being there for each other. It is a beautiful example of how to cultivate cooperation, unity, responsibility, leadership, interconnection, encouragement and a sense of family.

Be the Change

From this week's article, "When you listen and respond to your children's stories about school and peers, help them think through the right thing to do." Ask them questions and help them to process their decision.