Raising Considerate Children in a Mer-First World -Continue

 

1 Overpraising

What the Bible says.  The Bibler acknowledges that praise is appropriate when it is deserved, (Matthew 25:19-21) But praising children simply to make them feel good may cause them to develop a distorted view of themselves.  The Bible aptly states:  "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving his own mind." ( Galatians 6:3) For good reason, the Bible tells parents: "Don't fail to correct your children.  You won't kill therm by being firm. " - PROVERBS 23:13, Contemporary English Version. 

Note: People are being a better parent by not overraising them. They parents need to be firm and correct their children when they do something wrong.  That make the childrlen to be better people and more considerate and respectful of others. 

What you can do.  Make it your goal to give correction when it is needed and commendation when it is genuinely deserved.  Do not dole out praise just to make your children feel good about themselves.  Likely, it will not work.  "True self-confidence comes from honing your talents and learning things," says the book Generation Me, "not from being told you're great just because you exist." 

Note: Your children need to learn to be responsible as well. In order to teach them to be so, parents need to give them a  little chore they can handle while  in grade school,  then make it bigger as they get older.  They also need to know the value of money, how to economize, save and spend.  As adults it will be easier for them when they leave home in order to know a little about living life.  In my experience, a person that actually lives life and goes through tough times, learns a lot and they may not be the me-first person anymore.  But in my opinion, I believe a person-he or she, does not really mature mentally until the are in their 40's or 50's and some not even then. 

"Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest." - ROMANS , Good News Translation

Next time: Raising Considerate Children in a Me-First Word -Overprotecting

From the  jw.org publications