Special Gifts for Parents

I wish to offer the following Christmas gifts this year, for parents to pass on to their children.

1) Love

2) Pride

3) Empathy

4) Tolerance

5) Patience

6) Wisdom

7) Discipline

All children need love, however love is never enough.

Parents must teach their children to be proud of who they are, and where they came from. They should hand down stories to them, about what their own parents taught them, and they should tell their children about the places where their ancestors were born.

Parents also have to teach their children to be concerned about others. They have to make them understand the importance of being aware of other people's feelings and to help those who need it, if they can. Children need to learn that it feels good to help someone who is in trouble or who is hurting.

Particularly today, in the diverse world we reside in, children ought to learn that although people come from different backgrounds, and may look different from them, that we are all the same inside. Parents need to show them that there are decent people of every race, and of every color, and that we all can learn from each other, and become friends.

Children need to know that not everyone is as good or as fast as they are at something. They also need to know that they themselves may not learn something as fast as others may, but if they take a step back and give everyone a little time, it may all work out.

Parents should teach their children the lessons in life that they learned while growing up. Parents should also teach children that life is unpredictable, and that there will be problems they may face that they will have to resolve in order to learn lessons of their own. Parents should make their children understand that they have the ability to solve these problems on their own.

Disciplining children is probably one of the most difficult challenges for parents. Nevertheless, children need boundaries and rules to follow. When rules are broken, parents have to punish their children, because if they do not, and children break the rules outside of the home, authority figures will discipline their children, and not in a way that parents will like.

This is my Christmas wish list for parents. If anyone needs help, consider asking for it, for Christmas.