How Can a Kangaroo Protect Your Child From Peer Pressure... and make you a hero!
The 7 Essentials: #3 - A Culture of Purpose
No, I'm not talking about boxing lessons; I'm talking about the power of curiosity! The third building block in the Rhinehart Heirarchy of People Empowerment (RHOPE) strategy, is a culture of purpose. This answers the question, “Why Am I Here?” When children discover their personal interests and talents, they discover how they fit into the big picture of life.
No one knows the life course of their child, but neither are they tossed around in the wind and just end up at a final destination. It’s our job to prepare them to jump when opportunity presents itself.
This defuses peer pressure because children who develop their interests and talents gain a stronger sense of purpose and appreciation of their unique identity and are far less affected by conformity.
Your Action Item
Here’s your action item. The best way to create a culture of purpose in your home is to nurture talents and interests. We do this through lessons and venues of exploration. Watch what kinds of things your children enjoy, then put them in lessons so they can master their interests. Take lessons yourself, or find a mommy and me class. Take your children on dates to live theater productions, go to the science museum. Go camping and backpacking. Go to the zoo. Explore the world together. I also encourage you to read to your children. They love the attention they get from you during story time. Read lots of books, not just children’s stories, but information books and biographies of people who made great contributions. These influences will create an atmosphere in your home that celebrates learning and encourages exploration of new ideas!
All my best,
Deanna
There are 7 Essential Elements required for children to be emotionally safe. When these are satisfied, your children are much less likely to subcome to peer pressure because they are empowered with tools to meet their emotional needs. We call these 7 Elements The RHOPE Strategy; Rhineharts Heirarchy of Peer Empowerment.
