A Focus on Emotion: Courage
Courage
Definition: the ability to persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Courage involves making a decision or taking action where risk is involved - real or imagined. Courage is showing strength in the face of pain or grief. Courage is NOT the absence of fear, but rather the ability to overcome that fear when motivated to do so. There are specific ways that we can parent to help instill courage in our Mighty Littles:
Building confidence and self-trust. Begin with small, accomplishable tasks. As they have success with their tasks, they will naturally become excited to try more. Slowly introduce slightly harder tasks that they can accomplish. This builds self-confidence and self-confidence leads to self-trust.
Helping kids foster a feeling of purpose in their life.
Managing fear and anxiety. See the Mighty Littles post on anxiety.
Empowering decision-making. Allowing children to find their own passions and make their own choices will naturally build their confidence.
Give children opportunities to fail, practice, and persevere. By overcoming challenges, they will build their courage.
Intentional actions. Did you know that with every interaction you have with your children you are teaching them something? Your behavior and your emotions are contagious! You get to choose what emotions and actions you teach your children. So, how do we teach and model courage?
Play a superhero! Discuss how different superhero’s show courage.
Talk about people who are courageous - people who act from their hearts. Many kids assume they need to look like a superhero or act like a superhero in order to be courageous. However, you don’t have to be Superman to have courage!
Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play Major League Baseball, was heckled because of his skin color, and along with excelling on the field, he showed great bravery by conducting himself in a professional manner on and off the playing field.
Mahatma Gandhi, who would go on to be the leader of nonviolent civil disobedience, ran home after school every day, as a child, because he was too shy to talk to anyone.
Rosa Parks, the African-American civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat to white passengers, was described as “soft-spoken, timid, and shy.”
Praise kids for their acts of “ordinary courage”. Ordinary courage is the everyday acts of courage that we all participate in. This would include standing up for something you believe in or defending someone you care about. That takes courage!
Talk to your kids as you overcome something that takes courage. For example, let them giggle as you grab onto the cage of the Ferris wheel car that is sliding at Disneyland - clearly freaked out - and let them know that you are doing something courageous to have fun with them.
Who else here has a tentative kid? One afraid to take risks and is fearful of new activities, foods, textures, sights, and sounds? I remember this moment with Lincoln so well. My heart was literally leaping out of my chest when I saw Lincoln climbing this giant tree root, getting 5 feet into the air. My heart was leaping because I was so proud of him for choosing to do something new, something adventurous, something new - all on his own!⠀
Tag us on social media #mightylittles and let us know how you are helping build confidence and courage in you Mighty Littles!⠀⠀⠀⠀