Communicate with children. Let your children and those around
you know that they are important. When they speak, give them
your full attention. As you listen, you are communicating to
them that they are persons of worth. Physically get on their
level to speak with them and maintain eye contact.
Welcome children. Children feel appreciated when you
acknowledge their presence. Greet children, as well as
adults, when you see them. Make sure greeters in your church
welcome the children as warmly as the adults.
Celebrate success. Children feel valued when their successes
are noted. Whether it is a victory in Little League, a dance
trophy, or a good score on a test, parents will do well to
celebrate the success of children. Special rewards, a special
meal, or simply the earnest praise of a parent builds
self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of self-worth.
Engage in acts of kindness. Performing charitable deeds
toward children in your neighborhood, school, church, or
community are certainly in order. Surprise your children and
their friends with fresh-baked cookies on a cold afternoon.
Invite a child of a single parent to be your family's guest
at an amusement park, sporting event, or a special program.
Do something special and unexpected for children you know.
Work for justice. Be an informed voter on children's issues.
Write letters to legislators about issues affecting children.
Write letters to the editor of the newspaper regarding the
needs of the schools.
Volunteer. Ask your school what kind of help it needs, then
provide it. (E.g. helping in the library, the computer lab,
or being a playground monitor.)
Start something. Look at the needs of your community and see
how you can make a difference. Does your community need a
homework hotline, a latchkey program, or a child advocacy
group? Can you bring a guest speaker into your area to speak
to adult groups regarding the needs of children?
Get your church involved. Churches should be the moral engine
of a community. Offer special bulletins just for children,
and encourage church leaders to incorporate children in
worship. Have children be greeters, singers, Scripture
readers, and ushers. Children feel valued as they are invited
to use their abilities and talents in church.
ramatic changes have taken place over the last three decades
that have altered the experience of growing up in America.
Today's children are more likely to be poor, drug-dependent,
pregnant, murdered, or incarcerated than children living in any
other industrialized country.
