This is another revisited and realigned article from Emerald’s Gem Box written January 15, 2020, titled “A good attitude is something that can be managed and learned.” Again, I strongly agree with Emerald, except with a slight twist. True, many things that happen to many of us on a daily basis can (or will) either destroy us or make us strong, according to our attitude.
I have always tried to be an optimist about most logical things and reasonable people. I’m always hoping for a favorable outcome of things, and I believe in giving the benefit of the doubt and even a second chance to people when they deserve or earn it.
Attitude is one of those aspects of life that I regard as being synonymous with manners and respect. It, too, is a characteristic that involves thinking, behaving and reacting. It is a description of one’s qualities and attributes based on moral and ethical behavior.
Growing up as a child, when our parents were instilling good manners and respect in us – attitude was simultaneously poured into the equation – they felt your disposition played a major role in your action and behavior. Foremost, we were made to understand, we were children, not adults, and we were not in control of anything or anyone except ourselves and our actions and behavior. Our mood and emotion didn’t matter; our attitude did.
Also, as children, we had tasks. Those tasks brought responsibilities. You performed your duties without hesitation or reservation. As a fact, there was never complaining, ranting, raving, bickering or even wrinkling of the brow. We lived by the adage that children should be seen, not heard. As youngsters, we never knew the term “temper tantrum.” To correct our attitude problems, our parents used God’s words in Proverbs 23:13 “withhold no correction from the child; for if thou beatest him or her with the rod, he or she shall not die” (KJV). The rod didn’t kill my sibling or me, nor my children. It certainly changed our attitude for the better.
Many young parents today often make the statement – children are different from those of yesteryear. My response – children are no different today than yesteryear. What’s different is the training of children. The reality of life is no matter the era; life is a mixture of good and bad (evil). 3 John 1:11 scripture tells – it is our responsibility to imitate good, not evil, especially when it comes to children. Today’s society of young parents are more obsessed with their children’s happiness than their proper training. Therapist say, parents who coddle their children and look the other way when their children do wrong and neglect correcting them, does not impart God’s wisdom to them, and they miss blessings, of them developing into God-fearing adults.
My message to parents – as Emerald tactfully stated, “A good attitude is something that can be managed,” but first, there are appropriate ingredients that need to be taught before they are properly learned.
Mary Madison