def. (noun) feeling deep sympathy and concern for the welfare of others Compassion is a Character-istic valued by every major religion and most spiritual and philosophical traditions. It represents the impulse to tend to others when they are hurting and support them in times of difficulty. Compassion is a crucial component of family functioning, friendships and intimate relationships. With caring …
Fostering Character Development in Teens: The Basics, Part 2
This is a continuation of a discussion of some basic parenting strategies that are particularly well suited to helping your kid develop Character. As you will see in later columns, you can use these techniques to focus on a particular Character-istic or all of them as the situation allows or need requires. Anticipate it. Character can be fostered in your …
Fostering Character Develoment in Teens: The Basics, pt 1
To become a person of Character, teens require guidance, encouragement and accountability. They need help identifying fundamental values. They will need your help recognizing when and how to put these values into action. They need help holding to these values when personal desires or pressure to compromise threatens to lead them astray. (They need to know what “astray” is.) What’s …
Fostering Character Development in Teens: Introduction
Character is as important today as it has ever been. The same things that make American culture the wonder of the world – freedom, wealth, luxury, opportunity, diversity, tolerance, abundance – can tempt teens to be impulsive, aimless, focused on immediate gratification, greedy and entitled. Character is, and always has been, the antidote to these dead end life choices. Character …
Creative, effective punishment takes thought
“If I had talked like that to my mom, she would have knocked the crap out of me!” When parents say this to me I sometimes think, “Why don’t you?” All right, I don’t recommend corporal punishment. I didn’t spank or hit my own kids, which is not to say there weren’t times when I really wanted to. Like a …
Teach your teen some self-control
Come on! Come on! I’m tired of waiting! The game is coming out tomorrow I need it now. Forget it! Self-control is beginning to get increased attention these days. It is one of the strongest predictors of every kind of success during late adolescence and adulthood. Unfortunately, it is a pain (like most things that don’t fit the motto, “If …