Gavin McCormack posted an interesting article about empowering children to find their place in the world. I love how he challenges us to help children feel connected. They need to know that they are part of a chain of events that they have a responsibility for.
Teaching a child how to care for a caterpillar, is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.
Children need a sense of being, to grow to understand their place in this world, and developing responsibility starts with taking care of the smallest of beings.
We can challenge our children to do the following:
– Recycling our garbage.
– Catching that spider and releasing it, not squashing it.
– Hugging trees, not hacking at them.
– Growing plants, not just eating them.
– Respecting animals.
– Taking care of the elderly and young.
– Keeping themselves clean.
These lessons have huge impacts on who your child will become. They understand their place, their responsibility but more than anything, they understand their power. The power to make the right choices, the power to right the wrongs and the power to make themselves feel good through being a good person.