One of my favorite parenting quotes is, "I'm not raising children. I'm raising adults. If you are still kids when I am all done...well, we will all have a big problem!"
I have no idea who said it, but I love it. In fact, my kids have heard it so many times that I have had my little ones look at me and say, 'Why are we doing this mom? Is it because you are not raising kids?"
So if we look at raising our children in terms of what it takes to be adults, what are some of the most important things we want to teach them? I have a few of my favorites listed here.
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Compassion
- The Value of Hard Work
- The Ability to Advocate for Themselves
- The Importance of Quality Relationships
- The Desire (and Ability) to Manage Money Well
- The Clarity to Separate Needs from Wants
- The Joy of Giving
- The Discipline to Prepare for the Future
Did I mention I am raising adults? You might be a little overwhelmed by this list, as they are the 'big ticket items' in life, but I really think this is what I want to leave my kids with. While it is important for them to cook, clean and take care of themselves, they could always pay someone to do those things...if they had to. The things on the list are core values I want to pass on. They are things you can't buy, sell or trade.
I think the items on the list prepare them for life. What would you add to the list?
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