I am so sorry to have been away for so long. My husband of 46 years has terminal cancer and his care has gotten very intensive as of late, especially after he caught pneumonia. While he is in a rehab center, I have a few moments to share again with you all about the most important thing in teaching your children.
I had a college professor for Teaching Methods who made a profound impression on my life. His most memorable quote (and the one I cherish to this day) was as follows:
"Childhood is not a preparation for life; it is a part of it."
Everything your children see, hear, or learn; everything they think, say, or do; is part of their life forever. You may think that what you are teaching is preparing them for their life in the future, but what you are really doing is helping them to live that life NOW.
I read one time that the reason one culture's boys become so successful as adults is because their mamas tell them that they are great the entire time they are growing up. Now that may seem to be stereotyping, but the fact is we are no more fantastic than we believe we can be.
I don't believe in false hopes and expectations, and I am certainly not a follower of the "get-everything-you-say" philosophy, but I do know that we need to encourage our young people to do well because we believe they can. Does that always mean they will get A grades in classes? No, but it means they can choose to persevere until they can accomplish whatever needs to be done.
My children all got tired of hearing it, but my chant to them was:
"The process is more important than the product."
When you finally reach a goal, it can be a let-down to realize that you are finished, with nothing more to do, UNLESS you remember all the things you learned and enjoyed along the way. Every step is an adventure, a learning experience.
So don't just imagine that you are getting your children, teens, and young adults ready for life; you're already living it with them!
~Suzi
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