Raising Children
Passing on the faith
"Train the young in the way they should go;
even when old, they will not swerve from it."
Proverbs 22:6
Children are born with potential to achieve excellence, not just in terms of worldly success but in terms of a life well lived - a life of kindness, purpose, joy, and great love.
Parents are given the divine task of cultivating this potential in their children. It's no small feat, but our faith gives us the tools we need to raise children who live well.
Made for Excellence
Made for Excellence Help children live good lives by instilling in them the virtues of wisdom, courage, justice and self-control. By living out these virtues, parents can empower their children to discover their identity through the lens of faith, creating a strong foundation for a life of excellence.
Download a free cheat sheet that offers simple ways to teach your child about the virtues.
The Four Cardinal Virtues
The Virtuous Cycle
Parents can help our children learn the virtues by watching the Marshmallow test video with our child and teaching them something called the virtuous cycle:
The child’s intellect understands that, if they wait to eat their marshmallow for 10 minutes they will get another marshmallow.
The child’s will enables them to override the temptation created by sight and smell of the marshmallow.
After successfully waiting and receiving the second marshmallow, the child associates a positive memory with the experience.
Then, after this experience, the child’s imagination considers the possibility of other good things that can be achieved by waiting.
Consider the additional ways to set our children up for this virtuous cycle:
Describe the virtues to your child and share with them your own efforts to develop them in yourself.
Congratulate your child when they demonstrate a virtue.
Expose your child to challenging disciplines like music, art and athletics where they can experience the reward of growth through discipline.
Participate in the sacraments and faith formation opportunities in your parish to give your child the wisdom to prioritize their relationship with God.