Patience does not mean waiting and doing nothing.
Patience requires being productive on meeting a goal you want to achieve. It also means working with what you have despite the challenge and recognizing that just because the result has not manifested does not mean it won’t. So many times you are just at the precipice of huge success only to turn away because you were impatient in getting the result you were hoping for.
How many times do your teens give up because something was too hard. It is so important to teach them the power of patience. One way to practice patience is to practice gratitude. When we teach them to be grateful for what they have, and appreciate how far they have come, it can motivate them to continue and work at the goal they want to achieve. Teens often look for instant gratification but the truth is, instant gratification never feels as good as reaching a goal after hard work and some adversity.
When they want something bad enough, it is our job as parents to be the cheerleaders and cheer then across the finish line. When they want to give up, point out the progress they made, teach them to be grateful that they got to this point and foster a sense of determination and grit. No pain, no gain may sound cliche but it is true. The harder we work for something the more rewarding it is when we achieve that goal we set.
Patience should be active. Waiting around for something to happen won’t make it happen, taking consistent action and not giving up despite the frustrations, that is the true meaning of patience.
CREDIT TO MARK CHERNOFF FOR THESE LESSONS