By Rachael O'Shea
We might not be in full “lockdown” yet but with school out and stage three of the COVID19 restrictions in force, families are definitely starting to feel the pressure of cabin fever. Family life has always been a balance of compromise and patience (even more so during lent when our regular vices aren’t available!) but never have we had to face life without any external activity or relief from each other. While tensions are running high, this is the perfect time to teach (and practice) virtue with your children. As parents, we have been entrusted with not only the physical wellbeing of our children, but also the formation of their character.
So what is virtue? Virtue is a behaviour, habit or trait which shows high moral standard. For Catholics the seven heavenly virtues are:
There are also many other virtues that are more simplistic and integral for young children such as patience, kindness, courage and honesty.
The benefits of growing virtue within a young person are countless and will be a lifelong process in character development, helping them (and you) toward the ultimate goal of sainthood. Below are two suggestions of virtue growing activities, you can employ, during Lent and Holy Week.
Many people have different reward charts or systems for encouraging good behaviour in their children. During Lent, our family has a “Kindness Jar”. Each time a parent notices a kind behaviour (sharing the last biscuit), or a child practicing a particular virtue (being patient when the baby knocks down their tower), that child is told quietly to place a purple bead in the jar. On Easter Sunday, those kind actions and virtuous behaviours will be replaced with Easter Eggs to share. It is important that this doesn’t become a reward for expected behaviour (brushing teeth), or a punishment/threat for not behaving well. Rather, it is an opportunity for children to have the people they most revere acknowledge those actions which will help them to become better people. Just as no good deed or sacrifice is ever wasted, no bead is ever removed from the jar for bad behaviour. As we become more virtuous people, we rid our hearts of selfishness and pride, preparing our hearts for Easter.
If your children are of an age to understand the sins Christ took upon Himself as He died on the Cross, this activity may help deepen that understanding further and also work to grow virtue.
Bake a salt-dough ring and place toothpicks in to represent the Crown of Thorns. For each act of virtue, or sacrifice for Jesus, the child can remove a thorn. Hopefully by Easter all of the thorns are gone and you can decorate it with flowers to create a Resurrection Crown! Find instructions here:
https://www.catholicicing.com/make-crown-of-thorns-for-lent/
Once Lent and Holy Week have come to an end, adapt these suggestions in new ways to ensure the continuation of virtue education in your household.
Remember, that teaching virtue is pointless without a parent’s good example.
You can learn more about virtue education in Andrew Mullins’ book “Parenting for Character”.
Rachael O'Shea is a mother of three with a background in early childhood education. She has a passion for helping others to share their faith with Children