107. Character: The Foundation of Our Decisions, Choices, Attitudes and Actions

Dr Kathy talks about taking a break from podcasting to attend to a few things and says she is fully back. She talks about character as a topic that she would be going over for a few weeks and what makes it important. She mentioned some of her books and how they contain an appendix of character qualities in them. She mentioned how her parents and grandparents stood out as examples of good character for her to follow. It is important to make your kids understand that who they are matters as much as what they do. Kids should also understand that others are watching what they do. She mentions that it is important to also look out for how the character of our children can be improved. It’s also important to know that character can be improved and to know how we can teach the qualities. Sin and negative qualities easily come to kids but the character must be taught as it doesn’t come easily. Issues about character are easy to discuss with your kids if they are brought up by others. Character is of Greek and Latin origin and it refers to stamping and engraving tools that sharpen, cut or engrave to create a distinctive mark. Character is a distinctive mark that is engraved into us and what we are known for. Dr Kathy mentioned that kids don’t have to fake it to make it as we want a mark that characterizes them. Everything we are causes everything we do and this is a unique belief at Celebrate kids. Everything we are (our character) shows forth in our doing. We don’t want our kids to get into character but to have character and use character. Character forms the foundation of all of our decisions, choices, attitudes and actions and it is not just about having virtues or good qualities. Our goal must be to use our good character to affect and influence others positively and cultures. When we think about character we always think about individual qualities but it is more important to think about character as a brick by the brick foundation for a quality fulfilling life.  Dr Kathy closes the podcast by saying your character needs to be wide, tall, deep and well-built that way negative influences will not affect it.