I believe that at the core of all student success is a young person who feels worthy, accepted, understood, and loved. And, if children do not receive this within their own family, school and/or in the community, they must go somewhere else to find it. That place is within their own selves and what they believe to be true about themselves. If we can help children understand the miracle of their own birth and help foster a positive relationship with their creator, God, then I believe we have helped them establish a foundation for a life of fulfillment and purpose.
As the Christmas holiday approaches and we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it seems fitting to share with you something I read recently in a children’s book written by Charlene Constanzo. Please share this with the children you interact with at home and/or in your community in order to encourage them to appreciate who they are, accept how God created them, and embrace their possible contribution to others and the world.
When born, there are twelve gifts each of us inherited from God as described by Ms. Costanzo. They are strength, beauty, courage, compassion, hope, joy, talent, imagination, reverence, wisdom, love, and faith.
Strength – To call upon when needed
Beauty – So your deeds can reflect its depth
Courage – To follow your own path and speak and act with confidence
Compassion – To be gentle with and forgive yourself and others when mistakes are made
Hope – To trust in its goodness during each event and phase of life
Joy – To keep your heart and mind open and filled with the positive aspects of life
Talent – To discover your own special abilities and use them to make the world better
Imagination – To use to nourish your dreams and visions
Reverence – To appreciate the wonder of who you are and the miracle of creation
Wisdom – To listen to its soft voice and allow it to guide your way to understanding
Love – To give away and then experience it growing in your own life
Faith – So you can believe!
By encouraging children to use these gifts and recognize them in other people, we can instill in them a foundation of positive values and self worth!
Carol is the founder and CEO of Total Learning Concepts, which provides academic tutorial support, SAT & ACT test preparation, accredited course work, and college admissions counseling and coaching to students of all ages and grade levels. For more information about Total Learning Concepts, Inc., please call 770-381-5958.
For more information visit http://www.totallearningconcepts.com and
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