When you read to your child each night, the story often includes a hero fighting a villain for what is right. The one thing that never fails though, is that you never know why the villain suddenly became a villain. What made them think the way they do? Is it jealousy of the hero? Has the hero hurt the villain in some way shape or form in the past?
I think it is vitally important to teach our children from a young age to consider a person's situation in life. I feel this way because when you stop to consider what a person may have gone through and why they make the decisions they do and act the way they do it makes it difficult to be judgemental of them. Each person has a totally different experience in life and therefore make decisions that to us may be wrong, but to them may be the only thing they know. I think that if we teach our children to consider all possibilities of reason behind a person's decision, it teaches compassion and a general love for humanity that will ultimately improve the world. Everyone questions how they can make the world a better place. Our children are our way to make a difference in this world.
I know, I know, "wow she's going the cliche route of 'our children are our future,' but no truer words were ever spoken! If we focus more energy on raising our children to have a general love and compassion for humanity as a whole, then they will raise their children to have love and compassion for others. We need to break the cycle of hate and judgement and replace it with love and compassion before this world improves. Teach your children a love of service for others. By serving others they will gain a happiness that other generations did not know. Teach selflessness by setting an example. Strive each and every day to be the person you would like for your child to.become because words do not strike as deeply as actions. Teach your children to.do what is right despite what others are doing. Teach them to never lose themselves just to "fit in." Teach them that individuality is.so much more beautiful than conformity. Teach them that there is far more grey area than there is black and white and that within that grey area, there aren't absolutely wrong choices, just choices that are wrong for them. Teach them that everyone has their niche in the world. Some people are doctors and some people are mechanics, but that nobody is better than anyone else in any way, shape, or form. Everyone is equal and deserves respect, no matter their race, size, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. When it all comes down to it, we all bleed red.
"Our children are our future." Let's make the future a bright and beautiful one!
