Satisfied children are content children. Teaching our children to be content is one of the special gifts we can give them. Children who are never content or satisfied may struggle their entire lives trying to capture things that could be unattainable. This isn’t to imply that children shouldn’t be encouraged to aspire to greater things; it’s just wise to let them know that some things in life may not be attainable or healthy for them to attain. Teach children that it’s wonderful to chase after their dreams, but also teach them to be grateful and satisfied with what they have. Jealousy is one of the most damaging traits to be saddled with - and sadly it’s quite common in today’s material world. Envy comes from within and can make a person appear quite unattractive. Jealousy can fester and not only make a person unhealthy, but very ugly on the inside. Nothing is sadder than witnessing someone harboring deep envy for years; it can cause people to become physically sick and even age faster while making their life and everyone else’s life around them miserable. Feeling envious and resentful of others can be avoided if children are taught from a young age not to compare and place too much importance on what others have. Parents can teach children to be satisfied and content with what they have by setting good examples, putting in place a proper value system and keeping priorities in the right order. Parents need to teach children the difference between healthy competition and unhealthy competition. Winning is wonderful, but children also need to learn how to lose. If a child is not taught how to graciously accept losing they will never be able to truly appreciate winning. People become jealous natured for many different reasons, it could be about appearances, possessions, how another person is revered, a job or career, but two common denominator’s are always at the root of the problem; low self-esteem and low self-confidence. Never demean or belittle a child; it can mar a child’s self-assurance for life. Always squash the Green-Eyed Monsters as quickly as they appear while children are growing up - make sure to build a child’s confidence and self-esteem by praising and complimenting them frequently so they go on to have productive careers, good friendships, happy marriages and live content lives when they grow up!
Feel free to add your own thoughts – do you struggle with jealousy or do you know someone who does? Don’t be shy! Just click on “Comment” above!
