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Today’s world and its sudden changes can be very troubling. How can parents instill hope in children when the future seems bleak in a young one’s eyes?
Although they may not fully understand what’s happening, children know when things are going bad. They may not be updated about the news and the happenings around them. But they would recognize when something unpleasant has occurred.
Children should be aware of world events. Not only would this make them aware of their reality, but it would also make them care about their surroundings. This is also one way of showing them the gravity of people’s choices so they’d better comprehend the importance of the ones they make. However, such a practice may also posit a monotonous outcome.
When children know how bad things are going, they may spiral into a sense of hopelessness. And when their lights dim out, turning it back up can be challenging.
How Do You Define Hope to Kids?
Hope may be an everyday concept for adults, but it’s a massive sphere to understand for children. To them, hope can be complicated to comprehend. It encompasses many “big” words and ideas that may be too heavy for their tiny minds to absorb.
However, understanding what it means is the only effective way to instill hope in children. It won’t be teachable unless they know what it conveys. But how can adults reduce this significant concept to a sizeable one appropriate for this specific audience?
The answer is through vivid imagery.
Whether weaving animation in their explanations or using stories to relay the notion, adults can instill hope in children through their imaginations. When defining complicated concepts, reducing them to imaginative narratives is all it would take for children to absorb them truly. Using vivid imagery and beautiful yet straightforward expressions is an excellent way to describe something valuable to children yet equipped to consume significant concepts.
Elaine Vanderberg’s Cora an All Alone Girl can be the perfect material for describing hope to children. The story follows a young girl, Cora, who traverses life’s challenges. At a young age, she already feels trapped because of her family’s disposition.
Without a father and only her mother to guide her, Cora finds herself on a meaningful voyage of finding hope beyond the darkness she’s experiencing. Reading her story, children may glimpse what it means to be hopeful. Seeing what Cora does throughout the tale shows children what they may also do in dire situations and lead themselves to better conditions.
What It Takes to Instill Hope in Children
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Once the concept has been defined and established, it’s time to take proactive steps and instill hope in children. How can a child be hopeful? Obviously, the answer goes beyond telling them better days will be ahead. Such a forward-thinking method may not be as effective for children as for adults.
So, how can they be taught to look forward to a better tomorrow?
Foster the Habit of Praying
When all hope is gone, children can only seek help and assistance from God. To instill hope in children, it’s best to tell them about Him, who gives people every hope they need. When children are taught to keep a close relationship with God, they will know who to run to when feeling hopeless. Forging a close relationship may also help them understand that He always has plans.
Praying allows children to communicate their woes to Him, who is always willing to listen. When they have a solid line of communication with Him, they don’t have to burden themselves with the weight of their situations.
Practice Happy Habits
Aside from maintaining a healthy line of communication with God, adults can also instill hope in children by teaching them to nurture a positive and hopeful mindset. When hope is deeply engraved in their lives, it can be tough to remove, even on the darkest nights.
It’s not impossible to cultivate hope in children. All adults need to do is teach them about happy habits they can practice when times are tough. When it comes to teaching them, hope, it’s best to do so by establishing habits they can maintain throughout their days—only then will they sustain a positive outlook in life, which can be monumental in keeping them afloat.
Keep a Healthy Hope Network
Knowing they have people to seek refuge with is hugely beneficial when overcoming challenges. A hope network helps instill hope in children by reminding them about the beauty and positivity in life. While it can seem too idealistic to only look at the positives, showing them light, when the situations are dire, will benefit children’s well-being. It will make them look forward to another day when they know they have people who appreciate them.
Learning hope is, indeed, a challenging endeavor. However, by doing small and manageable steps, adults can start building a solid foundation to hold them up. If it’s material about hope they’re looking for, check out Elaine Vanderberg’s books to help!
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