It’s one thing to teach goodness—morality, kindness and responsibility—but something completely different to teach greatness. You can’t do it and it can’t be forced. Especially on children, and extra especially on your own children.
Lead by example is the first thing that comes to mind. Another is through stories of other great people. But how do you actually sit your child down and tell them how to believe in the greatness within themselves, to think and act above and beyond what is expected?
Something tells me this takes years to do, through adulthood; and, greatness comes in many forms. It’s my job to spot it and nurture it through example and dialog and the occasional lecture (funny those three different classifications).
When I look back to my childhood I don’t ever remember being drawn to anything but fun and games and girls. Bad parenting aside, I don’t remember feeling like I wanted to go and change the world. These feelings must come later…?
Teaching greatness is like trying to teach creativity (they could be one and the same): you can’t do it. Instead it comes down to helping the student eliminate the constraints that prevent them from unleashing their creativity.
Such as: keeping a future focus, letting them enjoy something with sense of privilege, practice an art of any kind allow them to pursue their passions.
[By the way I keep dozing off as I write this…]
The underlying truth is kids don’t process or appreciate what you’re saying. I mean, who the hell wants to listen to another parent lecture when they could be out and about with friends, exploring their world and everything in it.
[It’s amazing jumping back and forth between dream and waking state. Not fun, but definitely interesting. Not recommended.]
Such are the beauty of children.