- : freely giving or sharing money and other valuable things
- : providing more than the amount that is needed or normal : abundantor ample
- : showing kindness and concern for others
II asked Little Man what word we should focus on and before I even finished my question he blurted out generosity. Now granted, I think it probably has something to do with the fact that this is the life principle he is learning about at school. Nonetheless I was astonished and a bit perplexed about how I could teach about generosity in the context of creating a happier family. I kept thinking of generosity as giving money or food or clothes. So, I did what every good mom does when they don't understand how to do something and I researched it...starting with the definition.
The last definition struck me. I had never thought about generosity as showing kindness and concern for others. To me generosity always had to do with giving tangible items. This definition seems to be saying that a person can be generous with their being, their heart. And what a perfect thing for families to work on...showing kindness and concern.
It's Monday morning, we overslept, and spilt coffee on our clothes. Not to mention that little Sally won't get in the car because she can't locate her favorite doll to bring along. You all know the strongest temptation is to pick her up, throw her in the car and get moving whether she likes it or not. Maybe instead we could continue our patience from last week and be generous by finding the ever so important doll.
You're playing outside and little Joe falls and scrapes his knee. The world is now ending and the screams are murderous. You're inclination is to tell him to hop up and walk it off. After all, "boys don't cry." Maybe instead you could affirm the initial pain and show genuine concern for what seems like a big hurt for little Joe.
We will focus this week on being generous in our house. I will use every teaching moment I can to help my family show kindness and concern and...Be Generous!
No comments:
Post a Comment