During the month of August, our Character Essentials® theme is We Are Strong. The goal is to help children recognize their inner strengths and build character traits such as confidence, persistence, assertiveness, and bravery so they feel prepared for life’s future experiences.
There are a number of ways to help children build a strong foundation. Here are a few you can do at home:
- Share photos with your child from different ages and stages of development. Discuss how they’ve changed over time, things they’ve learned, and challenges they’ve overcome along the way to remind them of how much they’ve grown.
- Create a family motto that encourages each other to be persistent in times of difficulty and post it in a spot where everyone can see it. A classic example of a phrase you can use might be, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”
- Share stories about how you’ve overcome challenges or used persistence. This might include things like perfecting a new recipe, learning a new language, or practicing a new skill. By sharing your own experiences, you can encourage a discussion about challenges your child might be facing or interests they might want to pursue.
You can also read books together that focus on building confidence, including:
- “After the Fall” by Dan Santat
- “Anything Is Possible” by Giulia Belloni
- “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper
- “When Sophie Thinks She Can’t…” by Molly Bang
- “You Can Do It, Bert!” by Ole Könnecke
- “Bear Feels Scared” by Karma Wilson
- “Max the Brave” by Ed Vere
Click here to learn more about Character Essentials.
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Character Education
