Again, media frenzy takes over as Nadya Suleman takes home two of her babies, Noah and Isaiah. Seeing the little ones with her vividly reminds us again of the importance of parenting. We set the standards by which our own children mature and take their place in society. We can share our values and ideals with them informally over family dinners or privately in one-on-one conversations. These are the kinds of lessons we want to teach our children:
Don’t just take the easy way out, even when it is difficult to act in a socially responsible way. Practicing self-control when temptations arise creates greater self-esteem as well as decent behavior. Integrity is something that cannot be gained on demand.
Use tough love when necessary. You may have to practice saying no to yourself when you know that it is the right thing to do. Just like nourishing yourself properly doesn’t mean a steady diet of sweets and dessert, love isn’t only giving in to what is desired at the moment.
People hyped by the media are not always the infamous or those seeking their 15 minutes of fame. We’ve certainly had some heroes in the news as well, men and women who have been role models for the kind of behavior we want to encourage in our children – Captain Sully Sullenberger comes readily to mind. For a look at What Sandwiched Boomers Can Learn from Tim Russert, click on the title above to take you to the article on our website.
