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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

First things first, kids are not born thoughtful. They are born selfish and self-centered. You must teach them to be thoughtful. Now, don’t get me wrong. I know there are many children who are easy going and much easier to teach than others. I have two children of my own that are complete opposites. One seemed to be thoughtful from the very beginning. She would listen to what you had to say, be quiet when you needed her to and was very easy to go along with whatever you needed at the moment. Even in her teenage years and as an adult she still is thoughtful of others and tries her best to make everyone around her happy. The other child is not like that at all. Although through many struggles and hardships he has learned to be more thoughtful of others he is still primarily self-focused and need to be reminded on a constant basis.

In order to help a child be more thoughtful there are several things you can do. Here are some helpful ideas:

1. Have them buy or make gifts for others – One thing my mother always told me is that you have to make kids think of you. This can easily be done around holidays or birthdays. Instead of letting the kids get by with getting all the presents help them to think of others and make presents for friends and family. If they earn an allowance they can use that money to buy small gifts too. By making your children at least put in the time to create or buy a card you are helping them to think of others.

2. Have them volunteer their time – Another way to help kids think of other people is to turn them into volunteers. They can help to collect cans for the food bank, pack boxes for the military overseas, or even collect their own toys to give to children in need. By having them focus their energy on others you are teaching them to be thoughtful and good citizens.

3. Have them help out younger kids or the elderly – Small children and the elderly have a few things in common. They both need a lot of help. Children should be exposed to the elderly so that they can learn to be patient and listen even when someone is not fast or entertaining. Many children learn to love those times spent in nursing homes listening and talking to the elderly. Children can also help out with younger kids. They can help teach a toddler his numbers or letters, help clean up after snack time, or even sit and help a younger child learn to read. This not only teaches them to be thoughtful but also gives them a sense of responsibility and confidence.

These are just a few examples of the ways that you can help teach your children to be thoughtful and caring adults. It must be learned and it is best to start when they are young. Remember to encourage your children to think of others in every aspect of their lives and they will group up to be the kind of adult you can be proud of.

Author Bio: Stephanie has many years of experience as a nanny. She has always loved children and has continuously been involved in childcare activities. Currently she is one of the writers for houstonnanny.com. If you want to get in touch with her, you can email her at stephanie. Houstonnanny @ gmail. com.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want thoughtful children.