Isn’t it interesting how kids are drawn to heroes? We think kids love heroes for a good reason. Heroes are characterized by four things: they do what’s right, deal with wrongs, are honest and they care about others. Kids love heroes because God has placed a conscience inside each child that prompts them in the same four ways: to do what’s right, deal with wrongs, be honest, and care about others.
We believe that kids are heroes in training right now in your family. God uses ordinary people to accomplish his will and it starts in the small things of life.
We read in the Bible about David. David was a hero when he fought Goliath. But his hero training started much earlier. David was a hero in the small stuff. He took care of sheep and learned responsibility. He fought off a bear and a lion and learned courage. He worked hard to practice his harp so that he could get a job working in the palace.
Right now, your child can be a hero in the small things at home. Heroes practice in daily life by taking initiative. You might try this. Ask your child to see something around the house that needs to be “fixed” or made right. It might be that dishes are left in the living room, a sad baby needs to be cheered up or the laundry needs to be folded.
Once your child identifies something, then tell the child that this is the first sign of a hero. Heroes can see problems. The second sign of a hero is doing something about it. Challenge your child to take action to solve the problem and then praise the growing hero qualities. Heroes can see what needs to be done and then take initiative to solve the problem.
By Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. This parenting tip comes from the children’s program curriculum Hero Training Camp. It’s the conscience development course for kids. The parent’s component to this curriculum is called Everyday Parents Can Raise Extraordinary Kids. You can want to consider that series on CD or MP3. Make this summer a growing experience for everyone in the family.
