Children are malleable and therefore can be influenced greatly by their parents, siblings, teachers, and other people in their lives.
It’s important to be a good role model and to encourage good behavior so that they grow up to be productive citizens of society. But, we’re not just trying to raise productive citizens, are we? No, we are raising children to be adults who can think for themselves, are independent people, and are influencers in the world. We don’t want to raise automotons, we want our children to be all they can be! (I’m making an assumption here, but I hope you agree).
I believe the single most important thing that makes a child grow up to be all they can be vs. one that doesn’t, is love. That may seem over-simplified and to a point, it is. However, I can say both from a professional standpoint and a personal one that even when a child lives in a toxic environment, if they know they are loved, they fare much better.
I’m a Guidance Counselor in a High School and I hold a license in Mental Health Counseling. I’ve seen my share of people who have been hurt by other people. When counseling a client who had been abused or abandoned or both or worse, if they had one person in their life that loved them (even if that love was imperfect), they had a better chance of healing and overcoming their pain than those who didn’t have that in their life.
I want to encourage you today to be that one person! Be the one person that makes a difference in a child’s life. You will not only be doing that child a favor, you will be doing the world a favor. We need children to know they are loved so they can grow up and be all they can be—making the world a better place for us all.
We know that if you are authentically you, if you follow your passion, if you fulfill your destiny—you add to the greatness of this world! If a child feels loved, they will be able to be authentic, find their passion and follow their destiny. Show love today!
Wanda Luthman
Children’s Author
Growing children of character through quality literature
www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com
My children’s books are available on Amazon at www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman in paperback, ebook, and audiobook.
