Dream with me for just a moment.
What if we shifted our approach from an academic-first education to a character-first education? Not to disregard the importance of academics at all! What if we didn’t worry about how a child performs on a test? What if we didn’t care as much if they had the highest GPA to get into an Ivy League school? Or what if we didn’t care as much about them being the star player on their sports team?
What if we focused more on teaching our children to care for others? How to pay attention and identify the needs of others? How to have integrity? How to be honest and humble? How to give their money freely without expectation of anything in return? How to be loyal and committed? how to persevere in difficult times? How to be thankful at ALL times? How to stand strong and be polite? How to consider their words prior to speaking?
Dare I say, what would happen if we held our parenting (and grandparenting) to a higher standard? Instead of focusing on what a teacher or educator can do for our children, what if we held the highest regard for our homes and the learning done within our own walls. What if we concentrated on raising and teaching our children first, before sending them into the world? As the famous quote says, what would happen if we focused more on getting our children to Heaven instead of Harvard?
Take some time to think about what your home would look like if you chose this approach first.
