Raising Kids With Character

I think people see me as a pessimist. Now, I don’t see myself as pessimist, I think I’m more of a realist.

If wonder is the foundation of all virtues, then gratitude is the mother of all virtues. You may struggle and struggle to be able to get a child to act good or responsible but if you can get them to be grateful, the rest follows.

I was fortunate to grow up on a farm with space enough to play, and toys to occupy those rare moments when my imagination failed me. Among those toys was an ancient John Deere snowmobile, of whose vintage I can no longer remember.

For a number of years our oldest boy has been one of the lucky students selected to attend WE Day celebrations in Winnipeg.

This virtue is really summed up in the word community. Community is a virtue that, when healthy, will give our kids a tremendous sense of inner security.

When I was about 9 years old I was our neighbour’s farm waiting my friend Elaine to finish supper so that we could play outside. Elaine’s house was fun – they had a teeter totter!

When I was 17 my parents decided to finally buy me a dog. We had had a dog but by that time he was an old battle axe of a guy; well loved, but well-worn too.

When our first son was about four or five years old I took him out onto the deck of our home. We were lucky that, although we lived in town, there were few street lights and the light pollution didn’t obscure the stunning night sky.

If your kids are in soccer then you are used the annual email requesting more coaches. I have to say being in youth ministry for almost a decade and a half that finding volunteers is pretty much the bane of every leader’s life.

It’s strange to think that one could get nostalgic about the old Commodore computers with their monochromatic screens (my dad was convinced that colour screens were bad for your eyes), but I do have a soft spot in my heart for those old beasts.