Adulthood is hard. Parenting is even harder. Good character is by far probably the hardest.
Our current climate has displayed society’s desire to shun good character—honesty, courage, integrity, compassion, and self-control. Qualities that help shape our morals, ethics, and beliefs. All the things we strive to teach children to emulate during their tender developing years.
But are they seeing the same behavior in us? They are watching.
Good character has gotten us further ahead, if not for nothing. It keeps our core values in a resilient condition, even when being poked by adversity. Showing kindness to others matters. Keeping self-control in fiery situations matters. Helping someone in distress matters. Expressing mercy and forgiveness matters. Being remorseful (or apologetic) matters. It matters, y’all.
We have to commit every single day towards conditioning ourselves, because they are watching.
Conditioning takes work. It requires hard choices and firm stances that are actionable in order to modify ourselves—mentally, socially, and emotionally. If it were that easy to accomplish good traits, we wouldn’t have to work so hard to love or be empathetic to one another.
Our behavior is at the forefront of who we are as characters. Please believe, they are watching.
The solution is simple. Do better. If not for you, then for our successors. Each generation is passed down a torch—whether positive or negative attributes—who must continue the work of shaping a community of worth for their next-gen society. And they will be watching.
Memphis Parent strives to be a resource of value to all who are invested in our children’s future. We are committed to do the work, and hope you enjoy this issue and all the tools we’ve compiled especially for you. And remember, they are watching us. So let’s be better for them.
Later, my friends!
Erika Cain