All parents intuitively know that getting good grades and landing your dream job is great but there is much more to life. Life is also about emotional and relationship intelligence applied in any social setting. This includes becoming a person of good character.
The major focus of most educational programs is about gaining knowledge and skills that prepare individuals to get a job or start their own business. There is a lack of regard for developing the whole person.
What then is integral to your teenager's holistic development?
The answer consists of three key dimensions.
Firstly, the primary foundation of all types of education is cultivation or education of heart. Heart is the human impulse to love and be loved.
Developing one's heart involves the maturation of character. It means becoming a good person.
In the absence of developing heart, a teen may have all the prerequisite skills and knowledge required for life, but use such resources for a self serving purpose. Given any kind of leadership position, such a teenager would invariably fall short of public expectations.
The second vital dimension of education is about developing one's ability to relate to others in loving and ethical ways. My brother-in-law who I had known for decades as someone who seemed to be overly preoccupied with the pursuit of the holy dollar, came out and said one day, "Paul, life is all about relationships".
Have you ever heard of anyone on their death bed saying something like "gee, I wish I could have spent more time at work?". Rather the expressed regret of so many on their death bed is more along the lines of, "I wish I had of spent time with my loved ones." Thus in your parent teenager relationship, developing relationship skills is indispensable.
The third dimension of education is what most people know about very well. It is education to become good at doing something. It involves all kinds of academic and technical education including education in the arts.
While mastery is an important component for life success, without a selfless heart and the capacity to relate well with others, the success you gain will have a hollow ring to it. With this kind of knowledge, may you advance, creating a wonderful parent teenager relationship.
The major focus of most educational programs is about gaining knowledge and skills that prepare individuals to get a job or start their own business. There is a lack of regard for developing the whole person.
What then is integral to your teenager's holistic development?
The answer consists of three key dimensions.
Firstly, the primary foundation of all types of education is cultivation or education of heart. Heart is the human impulse to love and be loved.
Developing one's heart involves the maturation of character. It means becoming a good person.
In the absence of developing heart, a teen may have all the prerequisite skills and knowledge required for life, but use such resources for a self serving purpose. Given any kind of leadership position, such a teenager would invariably fall short of public expectations.
The second vital dimension of education is about developing one's ability to relate to others in loving and ethical ways. My brother-in-law who I had known for decades as someone who seemed to be overly preoccupied with the pursuit of the holy dollar, came out and said one day, "Paul, life is all about relationships".
Have you ever heard of anyone on their death bed saying something like "gee, I wish I could have spent more time at work?". Rather the expressed regret of so many on their death bed is more along the lines of, "I wish I had of spent time with my loved ones." Thus in your parent teenager relationship, developing relationship skills is indispensable.
The third dimension of education is what most people know about very well. It is education to become good at doing something. It involves all kinds of academic and technical education including education in the arts.
While mastery is an important component for life success, without a selfless heart and the capacity to relate well with others, the success you gain will have a hollow ring to it. With this kind of knowledge, may you advance, creating a wonderful parent teenager relationship.
About the Author:
Are you tired, angry and at your wits end about how to go forward in your relationship with your teen? You are not alone. To go beyond your current impasse, may I suggest that before you do anything else, get a hold of parenting expert, Paul Saver's seven FREE videos. Each short video is designed to upgrade your parent teen relationship so that the barriers can come down and you can really start communicating meaningfully.
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