Teach Your Children Well

When I was growing up my Mom had a colorful sign hanging in our kitchen. It was all about the “Golden Rule” and doing right by others. She hung it in the kitchen because she was trying to teach my sister and I right from wrong so that we would grow up to be responsible adults. But I think it was more than that. I think my Mom was really wise and knew that by teaching us to have faith in God and encouraging us to be good to people, we would grow up to be happy. I’m pretty sure our happiness was her main goal in life and thankfully, she achieved it.

Yesterday, I spent the entire day at my daughter’s home helping my wife care for our baby granddaughter while my daughter and her husband went to Disneyland. I actually wasn’t much help, but at least I was there for moral support, and I also fixed a broken gate latch, so at least I added a little bit of value. But as I was walking through the kitchen I noticed a sign hanging up about “Family Rules”. It spoke of sharing, loving others, and doing your best. It reminded me of my Mom’s sign and brought back a flood of great memories, not the least of which was the smell of great homemade cooking floating throughout our home.

I read that sign over and over again and thought about how hard most parents work at instilling character and integrity in their children. It isn’t easy and most of the time it seems like the world is pulling at all of us to go in a different direction, the wrong direction. Why? Because it’s a whole lot easier to focus on ourselves than it is to focus on others. It’s easy to lie but often hard to tell the truth. And it takes hard work to make an honest dollar, despite all the legalized gambling and get rich quick schemes on TV and Social Media.

My mom passed away several years ago, but she is not forgotten. In fact, one of the best lessons she taught me should have been painted on a sign for all to read. “When you are trying to decide what to do, ask yourself to think about tomorrow and what you will wish tomorrow that you had done today.”

Character is doing the right thing even when it costs more than you want to pay. 

~ Michael Josephson