How to teach Courage to young children
1. Help others see their own courage.
When you see courage in your children, identify it.
e.g.,
“It took courage to stand up for yourself like that”
“It looks like you did the right thing even though it wasn’t easy. That’s what we call courage.”
2. Self-reflection in the presence of your children
e.g.,
“At work today I heard someone gossiping about a colleague of mine. I like this person bur I didn’t like his actions. It was the first time I was able to stop gossiping and let someone know that the act of gossiping is harmful to the team.”
3. Model doing what is right for you, even if it is not popular with your child.
e.g.,
“I’m going to take this medicine. I know it tastes bad but I am courageous and I know it is good for me.”
Courage: describes inner strength.
When do we see courage in ourselves and others? How can we help our children understand what courage looks and feels like?
Doing what is right, just being me
e.g.
Courage is welcoming a new friend joining the class, showing care for a friend who's sick, speaking up when a friend is being taunted or hurt, picking up rubbish not because you dropped it but because it is the right thing to do.