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What Top 5 Attributes Do You Want to Pass On?

What Top 5 Attributes Do You Want to Pass On?

Last updated on: October 11, 2012 at 8:53 pm by Kathy Tuan-Maclean

What Top 5 Attributes Do You Want to Pass On? 2012-10-11T20:53:56-05:00 Kathy Tuan-Maclean

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Tonight Kai came home with a homework assignment and said I had to help. “I’ve been through 9thgrade, I don’t do my kids homework,” said I, the loving, supportive, full of energy Mom of the year.

“Mom! You need to help me—it’s an assignment.”

“Where?” Suspicious. “Let me see the assignment.”

“Mom! I’m so hurt! You don’t believe me?? Nobody else’s parents don’t believe them! This is supposed to be a learning experience between us.”

She showed me the assignment. She was right. Oops.

So here’s the assignment:

Create a list about the 5 attributes you’d want for your kids and grandkids—compare and contrast.

So I took 5 minutes to write my top thoughts–both easier and harder than I initially thought.

Here’s my list:

1. Vibrant authentic relationship with God/Jesus

2. Healthy, life-giving relationships—family, spouse, friendships, community

3. Meaningful work that adds value to the world and can sustain them

4. Healthy life patterns of moderation, exercise (mind, body, spirit, emotion), rest, work& fun

5. A joyful sense of gratitude at the abundance they’re given that leads to generosity, hospitality, fruitful stewardship and a sense of responsibility for those who aren’t as blessed.

Here’s Kai’s:

1. Love of reading-believing a good book can be better than television

2. Really bonding relationships with friends—loving them, being supportive

3. Compassion towards everything and everyone—being empathetic

4. Being able to have perspective on life—seeing the good and being able to deal with the bad

5. The ability to be humble and modest

“Wow! Yours are so deep compared to mine,” said Kai when I read mine aloud.

“Well I’ve had years to think about it,” I said. Pretty much the sum total of my parenting years in fact.

She laughed. “I knew you’d have the God piece. My friends all think you’re super religious and super cheap.” Apparently, one friend thinks it’s funny that I took them out for lunch because my Groupon was expiring that day. I like to think that’s frugal and generous at the same time.

Her list made me smile—I guess Scott and I preach about reading, friendship, perspective and compassion more regularly than grandiose visions of the good life—but it’s good to see that she’s absorbed something! I’ll take “believing a good book is better than television” any day!

What top 5 attributes would you like to see in your kids and grandkids?

What legacy would you like to pass down?

You may also be interested in reading:

Sex and Superglue: Talking with Kids in a Hook-Up Culture

Wedded Bliss. . .And Misses. 19 years and counting

Chocolate=Lies, Sex=Truth

My Theology of Parenting or Why I Gave Up Being God

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