How do we explain to our children what is going on in the world without causing them permanent scars? What is appropriate to share and what isn’t, and how do we strengthen them to help them see their own power?
I just read a story by the great rabbi Jonathan Sacks which helped me see that our children are much more capable than we give them credit for. He was saying that his father only had a tenth grade education, and whenever Rabbi Sacks would ask his father a question to which his father didn’t have an answer, his father would say, “son, I only have a tenth grade education, and I look forward to you learning son, so you can teach me,” which gave the rabbi the courage to become who he was.
Sometimes, we don’t give our children the credit of knowing how resilient and strong they truly are, nor do we build them up to know how much of an asset they are to us, and to the world.
All that being said, we must pay very close attention to our children, and we must know how sensitive they are and what they can and can’t handle. We must be realistic.
The only thing I will say is, never lie; the best lie is always the truth. You don’t have to tell your children everything, yet if they ask you, please only say the truth or tell them you are uncomfortable answering the question. Our children know when we are lying.
This week, let’s spend some extra time with our loved ones and pay attention to what their needs are, and strive to meet them.
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