“Whatever ugly quality disfigures the child, he is but as a garden overgrown with weeds: the more prolific the weeds, more fertile the soil; he has within him every possibility of beauty of life and character. Get rid of the weeds and foster the flowers. It is hardly too much to say that most of the failures in life or character made by man or woman are due to the happy-go-lucky philosophy of the parents. They say, ‘The child is so young; he does not know any better; but all that will come right as he grows up.’ Now, a fault of character left to itself can do no other than strengthen”
Charlotte Mason
(Vol. 2, p. 87).
Building character in our children is not something to take lightly.
As a homeschooling mom I am with my children most of the time, and honestly it can be easy to overlook bad habits. But, when we are out and about, or spend time with friends it seems like these 'weeds' pop right out.
As important as academics are, building a strong character is even more important. Our children will grow up to be leaders, husbands, wives, parents, educators...
As parents it is so important to lay the foundation for a successful adulthood. A lack of knowledge in a certain area can be learned, but a deficit in character and a garden full of weeds can be a heavy burden in adulthood. A life where bad habits were allowed to rule as a child can become a seemingly insurmountable foe as a child grows older.
As Charlotte says, "Get rid of the weeds and foster the flowers."
What a lovely picture for us as parents as we strive daily to do the hard things, and look forward to a blooming harvest.
Channon
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