Meridian Magazine :: Meridian Family Value: The Meridian Family Value of the Month: Instilling Courage in Family Members

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Instilling Courage in Family Members
In Partnership with Richard and Linda Eyre

Greetings!

As you may know by now, Meridian has set up 12 great and universal values that all parents want to teach to their children, and we will be focusing on them one per month for the upcoming year. The value of the month for August is courage, and you can click here for the article that appeared last week introducing this value. (You can also click here to read the introductory article on the Value of the Month concept.) Now, as the month progresses, we will post additional methods to use in teaching kids of different ages the value of courage. You can also click here (value@meridianmagazine.com) to submit an idea or method of your own that you would like to share.

For Pre-Schoolers:

The following story can help older preschoolers and young elementary schoolers relate storybook bravery to their own chances for everyday bravery:

The young prince had never seen a dragon before, but he had heard of dragons and knew of their great strength and of the hot fire they could breathe out from their fierce nostrils.

He was all alone the morning when he dragon came. He had gone for an early ride on his favorite horse and had just galloped down the path and into the woods. As he turned a corner, he found himself face-to-face with the dragon (who was as surprised as he was). He could have turned his horse and run, and maybe he would have escaped, but the dragon was heading for the town, and surely others would be hurt or killed.

The young prince, his heart beating fast with fright, charged straight at the dragon while it was still startled and drove his sword deep into the soft valve on the neck that is used to draw in air to make dragon fire. The dragon was killed, the kingdom was saved.

Expand and elaborate this story as you wish. Then ask, "Did the prince have courage?" (Yes.) "Do we need courage today in this world?" (Yes.) "Why? We don't have dragons!" (Because there are other things than dragons that require courage.)

Make a list of "today's dragons" — things that take courage:

·         Admitting you're wrong if you are.

·         Doing what's right when everyone else isn't.

·         Saying hi to a new child or a child you don't know.

·         Saying no when kids try to get you to do something you know you shouldn't.

·         Getting up early on a cold morning to practice the piano before school.

For Elementary Age Kids: The Story of Butch O'Hare

Tell the following story to give your children a sense of large-scale courage and true heroics:

In World War II a young pilot named Butch O'Hare was trying to get back to his carrier after his fighter plane had been damaged. His squadron commander had sent him back, feeling that his riddled craft was of little further fighting use and that O'Hare should get it back to the carrier while it would still fly.

Reluctant to leave his mission, O'Hare nonetheless followed orders and headed back toward the carrier. On the way, by chance, he intercepted a squadron of Japanese Zeros (fighter planes) flying from another angle toward the American carrier, which, without its own planes, would have little defense against them.

Despite his crippled plane, O'Hare engaged them in a dogfight and ended up shooting down six of them. Finally, when he had run out of ammunition, he began trying to fly directly into the remaining Japanese planes, hoping to knock at least one more down, even though it would cost him his own life to do so. The Japanese flight leader, seeing that he was dealing with a "mad man" — with someone who had no regard for his own life — decided to retreat and flew off in the other direction. O'Hare had attacked them with the intent of sacrificing himself in the hopes that he could bring down enough of them to save the thousands of men on his carrier.

As it turned out, O'Hare was miraculously able to coax his battered aircraft back and land it safely on the carrier. He became one of the war's most decorated heroes. A few years later the airport in his hometown of Chicago was named O'Hare Field in his honor. It was to become the busiest airport in the world.

For Adolescents: Encourage Children to Try New Things

Help your children develop a more daring attitude that will broaden their perspective. Encourage them to try something other than hamburgers and fries. Remind young adolescents that there are wide varieties of good things in life and help them adopt an adventuresome attitude toward things that are inherently safe. But also be sure to point out the difference between being daring and being foolhardy.

Make a List of "Everyday Ways to Show Courage." This can help your children mentally practice the exercise of courage by thinking about common situations that would require it. Make the point that courage is not something that is only useful on a battlefield or in great and momentous situations. It is an everyday thing. Say, "Let's use our imaginations for a moment and think of some common situations that require courage, and let's give a name to the type of courage that each requires."

Here are some examples of things that require everyday courage:

Everyone else is wearing a style you don't particularly like. You decide to wear what you like rather than following the crowd. (The courage to be yourself.)
Everyone eats lunch in the hall of the school. It's a nice day and you want to eat outside. Your friends won't go out, so you go out alone. (The courage to do what you like, even if it's by yourself.)
You're with three friends who want to shoplift a couple of small things, "Just for the excitement of it." You say no, and they ridicule you. (The courage to do what's right.)
You notice a new student in English class. He's sitting by himself and looks lonely. You go over when class ends and ask him about himself and make friends. (The courage to be friendly and overcome embarrassment or shyness.)
There is an essay contest at school. None of your friends is entering it, but you would kind of like to. You've never entered a writing contest before and you're not sure you're any good at it, but you decide to give it a try. (The courage to try.)

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About the Authors:

Linda and Richard Eyre, parents of nine children and authors (together and individually) of more than thirty books, are now focusing on reaching families and individuals online. Through their web sites valuesparenting.com, http://www.theeyres.com/, and http://www.familynightlessons.com/, their frequent media appearances on shows such as Oprah, The CBS Early Show, The Today Show, and BYU Television, and their world-wide lecture tours, they continue to work at their mission statement – "FORTIFY FAMILIES, popularize parenting, validate values, and bolster balance."

Linda is a teacher and musician and founder of "Joy Schools." She was named by the National Council of Women as one of America's six outstanding young women. Richard, a former mission president in London and candidate for Utah governor, was the director of the White House Conference on Parents and Children for President Reagan. Both of the Eyres have served on numerous civic, arts, university, and humanitarian boards and head a foundation that focuses on the needs of third world children.