Develop a Child that exhibits independence strengthening their ability to exercise compassion under outside influences
Seeds need air to produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. This allows them to grow and become strong enough to withstand harmful elements and produce beautiful flowers and fruit. Similarly, a child needs room to breathe, to gain independence to stand their ground and exhibit compassion, especially in tumultuous times or under peer pressure.
Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and combine it with water absorbed through their roots. Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, absorbs energy from light to turn these ingredients into carbohydrates (sugar) and oxygen, and they release the oxygen they don’t use back into the air.
Children need to take in the knowledge and understanding they have grasped to become independent thinkers. Part of growing up is learning to trust who they are and take risks to learn and strengthen their understanding and compassion. This may mean not following the crowd when it means hurting someone or something else.
This healthy child is composed of physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual strengths. Each component needs to be nurtured and fed. Get your child involved in activities to strengthen each of these components. Get them outside and active gaining physical strength, flexibility, and coordination. Let them fall and make mistakes so they can learn from the experience. Have them participate in group activities so they learn how to work with others as a team and gain confidence in themselves. Read to them and have them read to you to increase their intellect. Talk to them and share feelings and concerns demonstrating sensitivity to emotions and feelings. Address their spiritual needs getting involved with them in community activities, giving to and helping others who are in need in one of these components.
Teach your child so you can safely allow then to step out on their own in confidence rooted in strong principles, beliefs, and ethics. Show them the importance of respecting authority and, at the same time, ways to effectively stand up for what they feel is right. This involves building up, not breaking down people and things through communication and understanding. Guide them, so they have the strength to not blindly follow the crowd when it goes against the love and compassion of someone else. Let them experience the feeling of making something better than it was before because of their involvement. Provide your child with what they need to avoid the distractions and noise of the world.
Seeds need air to produce the food they need to ultimately create the flowers and fruit from their vines. Give your child the life needing air to develop into an independently strong, balanced individual who can bloom into a loving, caring, and compassionate human being.
This is the fifth in the series of DIG IN, Steps to Cultivate Compassion in Children. The others are: 1) Let’s Talk Dirt 2) Plant Perennial Seeds of Compassion That Grow Deep Roots 3) How to Water the Seed with Compassion — Sprinkle Them with Knowledge 4) Why Growing Seeds Need Fertilizing – Nourish Understanding Feeding Compassion
Sonja Wendt
Enhancing children’s sensitivity in human interactions one story at a time.
Author and Reading & Seeding Leader
Cultivating Compassion in Children Books Series
Books Available on Amazon: http://bit.ly/SonjaLangeWendt
©2021 sonjalangewendt All Rights Reserved
Another really good article. I especially appreciate the encouragement to respect authority (and I would add – also their elders) which I feel is so lacking in our culture today.
I agree. Thank you for sharing!