As parents, we need to be careful not to buy into lies that are actually detrimental to our kids.
Talking Points:
- False Belief #1: “Damage is always permanent and can’t make you stronger.” The opposite of this idea is generally true. There are many situations in life where we are made stronger by adversity. Children and adults are resilient and can overcome most anything.
- False Belief #2: “If you get a strong feeling, it’s always going to be objectively true.” Feelings are actually vibrations in our body caused by our thoughts, and our thoughts are based on so many subjective criteria. So, feelings can’t always be trusted. So, we should approach all situations with an open mind and see if there could be more than one interpretation to what we’re experiencing.
- False Belief #3: “Each person is either only good or only evil.” It seems hard to believe that anyone could buy into this type of mentality, yet it happens all the time in every walk of life. It is important that we stop focusing on the things that make us different from each other, and instead focus on all the commonalities.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Review each lie. Which ones have you believed to be true in the past? How were those opinions formed in you?
- Which lie is the most dangerous for your kids to believe and why?
- How have you seen adversity make you stronger? How can you teach your kids to learn from life’s challenges?
- Describe a time you let your feelings lead you and it didn’t turn out well? How can you encourage your kids to not fall into the same trap?
- How do you typically view people who are different than you? How will you teach your kids to treat people?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
