10 Ways To Teach Your Kids Humility

Kids need to know that achievements, looks, and abilities are not what give them worth.

An author once said that what we currently suffer is humility in the wrong place. A person was meant to be doubtful about himself but undoubting about the truth. This is now indeed reversed.

Many people today are overconfident about their opinion while confoundingly believing there is no truth. This means that the only measuring stick for what is true is themselves. The resulting attitude is arrogance, something the world already has more than enough of. Humility, on the other hand, gives us a proper perspective. Here are ten (10) ways to teach your kids how to be humble.

10 Ways To Teach Your Children Humility

1. Modeling. Never underestimate the power of teaching by example. Humility must be constantly modeled as a lifestyle, not an off-again, on-again example.

2. Build them up. It is essential to understand that humility always comes from a position of strength, belief, and self-assurance.

3. Encourage and help them be the best they can be—no matter what they do. Humility works best when your kid has achieved something. Help your kid achieve with confidence.

4. Never humiliate your children. Humility cannot be imposed. It is important not to confuse humiliation and bullying and to beat down with education in humility.

5. Make sure you understand where their real value comes from. It is easier to sidestep pride or arrogance when kids understand that they are valued simply because they are your kid. Kids need to know that achievements, looks, and abilities are not what give them worth.

6. Teach them to serve. Teach them to serve the homeless, the poor, their family, and one another.

7. Teach them to give thanks. A genuinely grateful heart is a crucial building block for humility. Gratitude, practiced and eventually owned, enhances humility at every turn. The person saying “thank you” affects an unassuming and modest posture. Try this: whenever someone compliments you, say, “thank you.” The response eventually soaks in, grows roots, and blooms humility.

8. Read them a children’s book that touches on humility. Reading to your kids can go a long way. Apart from bonding with your tots, your kids’ morale from the stories you read can help them assess where they can apply these learnings, just like in Caroleann Rice’s Solomon Snail Goes To The Beach. Good old Big Bill is curious, adventurous, hopeful, generous, and kind. But he would never tell you that about himself because he is humble and knows he was not blessed with much wisdom. He is not the one who will know what to do to help the Crabby Brothers with their problem or two. But he knows who can: Solomon, the wise Snail, his friend from inland. And yet, can even the wise Solomon be the one to teach those rude seagulls how to say Please and Thank you? Or will the mysterious Mighty Wondrous Voice of Love choose another to be the brave one when Solomon Snail Goes To The Beach?

9. Teach them how to apologize. A well-timed and sincere apology is a critical component of humility. Sometimes they are wrong; they need to acknowledge that. Sometimes they overreach, and it is time to back up. Sometimes, they receive unintentional consequences they need to smooth over.

10. Discourage the Attitude of Entitlement. Most parents, longing to advance their kid’s self-esteem, continually tell him how smart, unique, and special he is. This positive approach to parenting can, at times, develop an attitude of arrogance and entitlement in kids. Children may start believing they have a special right to certain advantages in life, like winning, good grades, and acquiring more things, to lead an easy life. They may not take too kindly to occasional failure or disappointments. Therefore parents must look after nurturing confidence but not overconfidence.

Parting Words

Humility is a much-needed and much-appreciated virtue in today’s world. It is one of the most admirable personality traits. An individual is said to be humble when he is modest and has an unassuming attitude without any hint of arrogance or pride. A person who possesses great power but is still humble will always be well-regarded and valued. Parents may like to cultivate this quality in their kids right from childhood. Your kid should be humble about his achievements, even when they seem remarkable.