Since the pandemic swept worldwide, we have been faced with the harsh reality that the future that awaits us is one filled with so much uncertainty.
Now if it were just us, I believe we’ll be okay. But the thought of leaving our children in a future so dark fills us, parents, with so many worries and anxieties.
So how can we as parents have the assurance that our children will be alright in this world that we’re leaving them with?
Help them build great relationships.
Relationships are an essential part of life. We all know the saying that no man (or woman) is an island. We all play a crucial role in life where each one of us is woven into a bigger tapestry.
How we interact with each other, how we conduct ourselves in our affairs and relationships, they all matter in the bigger scheme of things.
We are designed as relational beings. Our children will have all sorts of relationships as they grow up. Familial, romantic, professional, friendly, and a whole lot more.
We need to teach them how to take care of each relationship they have, for those connections will help them throughout their lives.
Help them build the right habits.
Another way we can equip our children to have a better future is to help them build the right habits in their lives. Having the discipline to do what’s needed even at their inconvenience will give us the assurance that our children will mostly make the right decisions in life.
Of course, not everything will be perfect. Perhaps some of them, at one point, may work with a bankruptcy lawyer because of poor money management decisions, but generally, with the discipline brought about the right habits, they will be able to bounce back and become ten times better than before.
Teaching them how to do things right as early as now — such as budgeting, healthy living, giving 100% in all they do, and practicing delayed gratification — will give them an edge in life.
Help them excel in all they do.
One of the finest habits to teach our children is to always give a hundred percent in everything they do. However, you must clarify that giving their best is not always the same as being the best.
We don’t want our children to have the false burden of being overachievers to the point that they become insensitive and unemphatic. While there’s nothing wrong with being a little competitive, too much of it can strain the relationships they have.
We must teach them to not be too hard on themselves just because they don’t excel but the important thing is they gave it their all. Hard work and diligence will eventually pay off. If they turn out to be the best there is at what they do, then great job. If not, at least they still are assured of better than average results.
As the saying goes, reach for the moon but if you miss, you’ll still land among the stars.
Help them build a strong spiritual foundation.
Spiritual foundations matter because it dictates our beliefs and morals. Whatever religion or belief system you practice, establishing deeper spiritual foundations in your children’s lives will help align their moral compasses and assure you that they will grow up conscientious and morally upright human beings.
The world may never be perfect. The future may be a dark and scary place. But knowing that we have equipped and empowered our children to carve out a better future for themselves will somehow give us peace of mind that they will have a good life despite the challenges and uncertainties they will face.
