Life is vexing, especially when you’re little. As children, we constantly find ourselves in situations for which we have no experience, for which we have not been prepared, for which there does not seem to be a clear or obvious answer. Some of these are big situations, like being bullied or breaking an arm; some are small, like being nervous to go to your first sleepover or being jealous of something you wanted that your best friend got instead. Sometimes it’s a blessing; sometimes it’s the curse of misfortune.
How are they supposed to respond? Well, it’s your job to show them. Because as disparate and vexing and unique as every moment of life can be, each of us has a set of duties that we can find guidance from in any and all situations.
You can teach your kids that whatever they’re facing, they can respond with: hard work honesty helping others as best they can It’s not always going to lead to success, of course, but it will always lead to something they can be proud of. It will always serve them well. Whether it’s a sudden reversal or a sudden bounty, whether they’re at fault or an innocent bystander, what life demands—what we as their parents expect of them—is work, honesty, and compassion.