Recapping the Important Traits10.0102I know not everyone gets to read all the comments the other parents and people of the community leave on the GiftED blog, and I found the ones to - The Most important Trait to Instill in Your Children -  insightful and full of great insights, so I decided to list the top 5 responses to the post in this blog post - Enjoy!

1.  To  Love and Value Themselves

"They should know that their opinions count and they can make effective change in their immediate world and the world at large."

~Adiaha

I agree with Adiaha. There is only one important trait: LOVE. All other virtues flow from that.

~Pete Hughes

2.  Integrity

"Integrity comes from the Greek words 'integritas' and 'integra' meaning whole....You will develop into a person whose thoughts, words, and actions are congruent, and you will attract like minded individuals who look outside of themselves to see in what way they can be a contribution."

~ Catherine

In my opinion integrity is one of the most important values. Integrity implies being true to yourself but also being sincere and fair towards others.

How often are children taught not to listen to their own inner voice / intuition (because of course grown-ups know so much better) and so to distrust themselves? Moreover they might conclude from that that they do not really count.

How often are children taught not to be sincere or to give in to avoid conflict or other unpleasant consequences? This does not mean that we should be rude or do what we think is right - no matter what. We can share our opinion emphatically and respectfully (see Marshall Rosenberg's books) and I blieve this world would be a much better place if there were more people who walk their talk.

~ Ursula

3. Trusting their Intuition or Inner guidance

"I think that the most valuable trait (skill!) we can help our children develop is that of "hearing" and trusting their own intuition. This is an invaluable skill that will lead them forever in the direction they want to go."

~Alaya

Great post. I say "Trust Your Inner Guidance"

~Darel

4. Respect for themselves and Others

Children need to know that they are loved, valued and respected by those around them, and they need to learn to love , value and respect themselves.

~Jasmine

5. Resilience

"Being able to bounce back after mistakes, failures and being turned down is invaluable in a world where there is often so much negativity and harshness."

~Syl

I suggest that resilience and compassion be the necessary flip-sides to the same coin. Resilience encompassing self love, self esteem as well as inner strength and knowing, that will equip a child to handle anything constructively. Compassion which encompasses love and caring for the well being of others and for building great relationships and ultimately great communities.

~Maria

I want to end with one readers response, because it really touches on what I believe about children...

First, we don't need to instill anything in our children, but instead see what is already there, their virtues, and tell them what we see. Second, look for and build on their strengths, which honours who they are and calls them to their best selves.

~Donna

Thank you all for you contributions, have a wonderful holiday an amazing New Year!

Melissa