How to help your kid realise the value of being humble

Many children and even adults think that being humble is a sign of weakness, foolishness or poverty. Being proud is supposed by them to be a mark of success and progress. But this is not quite true. Super achievers from Ratan Tata to Sachin Tendulkar practice humility, talking to everyone with respect, maintaining politeness, and not throwing their weight around 

Why is humility a lifeskill worth practising?  
A humble child is always eager to learn more, a trait desired by most parents. Children who are too full of themselves also have difficulty socialising, and find it hard to accept failure. Basically humility is an attitude of not underplaying one’s potential, but of understanding one’s true worth, and living up to it, without making tall claims that are bound to remain unfulfilled.   

How can you encourage a humble attitude in children?  
Like all virtues, humility also needs to be introduced through simple everyday acts. Here are a few suggestions you may find useful:  

Play the role model: Children follow parental action more than words. They are also more observant than we adults may realise. If they see parents losing temper while driving in city traffic, shouting at the maid, or using their position as an excuse to talk rudely to colleagues on the phone, they will take these to be the norm, not exceptions. Humility begins with parents.  

Encourage children to admit mistake: Some kids find it tough to admit mistakes, growing up to find saying sorry an impossible task. Encourage your kid to recognise their mistakes, and not keep justifying every move with excuses. At the same time, kids need to accept apologies from parents and siblings if the other party is at fault. This acceptance should be heartfelt and not accompanied by a perpetual pout.    

Introduce them to multiple perspectives: Kids are considerate about others if they understand the other point of view. When they complain of a fight with friends or siblings, show them that the other children also had their reasons. 

Don’t encourage a feeling of entitlement: Don’t encourage any grand thoughts your child, irrespective of age, may be having. He or she is simply not the smartest, richest or even the cutest person on earth!