Are Work Ethic and Nirvana Kid Concepts?
At what age should one teach a child about good principles? At what age should a caregiver vary the mix from pure indulgence and play to real life lessons? Are there age appropriate principles? At what age should kids understand about work ethic? About happiness?
The one thing everyone seems … and emphasis on “seems” … to agree on is that kids should be taught to share ASAP. And this is great. However I seem to encounter college age … and definitely a lot of executives, all of who just believe they must compete and win any opportunity … at any cost … with anyone. And yet … few of them seem at peace or happy.
Should parents and care givers feel responsible for having turned out such deplorable humanity? Can we even control such outcomes? What can we even do?
Ironically the animal world is a mix of contrary lessons. Life lessons come early for young animals. Danger is ever present and young animals learn to avoid it almost as soon as they can walk. It is survival. Competition, territorial behavior and kill-or-be-killed are classis adult animal behaviors. This is also the survival instinct. How is it we “humans”, for whom there are far diminished dangers and competition for survival, are turning out much the same? How do we land the same result despite completely different and perhaps overly indulgent and protective child…
