Pride

 

They say that Pride goeth before a fall, and I think that’s true about self pride.  But pride is an important commodity as parents and educators.  We feel pride at our students and children’s accomplishments, and there’s a little bit of self pride in there as well, because you KNOW there must be at least a LITTLE bit of you inside that accomplishment. 

It’s okay – no, it’s NECESSARY – to be prideful of our young charges.  They need that pride to keep going.  They feed on it.  I think sometimes we forget to show them that pride – even the ones who don’t always make us feel prideful.  In the elementary years  there are many learning opportunities, and even though sometimes it takes doing it WRONG for the child to learn not to do it. 

For instance, I had a young student try stealing for the first time last week.  I know he’s not a theif, it was almost like he needed to try it.  Needed to see what it was like and see if he could get away with it.  Now that he’s been scolded and told that it is wrong, he’s not tried it again.  When they do things like that, they are still good kids, and they need to feel our pride in them still.  That pride keeps them believing they are great, and greatness comes from belief.

I am extremely proud of all my students, and exceedingly proud of my kids.  The girls are getting so grown up now – they actually wore heels and earrings to our recent father/daughter ball outing.  It was a fun night with my kids, and I couldn’t have been prouder.

The trick is keeping that pride the next day, when they’re whining about not having enough of the right kinds of cereal. 🙂