Both of these children are mine. Both of them have seen character modeled and had it taught to them by the same people. (In this situation I'm defining character as having the internal fortitude to make yourself do what you don't want to do because it is your responsibility)>
Child A: Character modeled and taught for 10 years. After spending the entire day in front of the TV or computer, this child, having accomplished nothing, has to be forced to do a half-baked job on the dishes.
Child B: Character modeled and taught for 5 years. After getting up at 5:30 a.m. to spend 13 hours at a wrestling match, having wrestled six times and been injured to the point that I see pain in his eyes, comes straight home and does an excellent job on the dishes. (He got them done before I had a chance to let him know I was planing to do them for him).
Child B's history prior to our placement is worse. He's lived here less time and yet has 10 times the character of Child A.
Is Character genetic? I wish I had the answer to that question. Because I'm trying very hard to teach and model it. But what if some people are genetically predisposed to not have much no matter what?
Both of these children are mine. Both of them have seen character modeled and had it taught to them by the same people. (In this situation I'm defining character as having the internal fortitude to make yourself do what you don't want to do because it is your responsibility)>
Child A: Character modeled and taught for 10 years. After spending the entire day in front of the TV or computer, this child, having accomplished nothing, has to be forced to do a half-baked job on the dishes.
Child B: Character modeled and taught for 5 years. After getting up at 5:30 a.m. to spend 13 hours at a wrestling match, having wrestled six times and been injured to the point that I see pain in his eyes, comes straight home and does an excellent job on the dishes. (He got them done before I had a chance to let him know I was planing to do them for him).
Child B's history prior to our placement is worse. He's lived here less time and yet has 10 times the character of Child A.
Is Character genetic? I wish I had the answer to that question. Because I'm trying very hard to teach and model it. But what if some people are genetically predisposed to not have much no matter what?