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| The spiritual backpack |
As I strolled
through our local Target store the other day, I noticed that school supplies had
already hit the shelves. It reminded me that summer’s end is near. I began to create
a list supplies for my sons backpack and thought of other things he would need
for school. A spiritual backpack, filled with tools to get him through tough
situations could come in handy.
When my teen
boys were in elementary school we received a list of supplies needed...binders,
mechanical pencils, spiral notebooks and so forth. One thing the list didn’t
divulge was how conflicts are resolved. Nor did it indicate what to do if
someone called you a name. A spiritual backpack stuffed with character development,
conflict resolution and a study guide on how to stay mentally grounded are
tools of choice.
Situations
that sound simple to resolve to parents are big issues to our kids. Providing
kids with a spiritual foundation can also help to keep them balanced
academically.
One book
that our family has found useful is Sticky
Situations by Betsy Schmitt. It is compiled of short stories/situations
youth encounter. The scenarios cover things such as: kids giving fake names
when they have a substitute teacher and trying to get their friends to play
along or a child finding a pack of gel pens on the playground and decides to
keep them since no one is looking. At the end of each story three possible
solutions are given as to how to resolve the problem.
Situations such as those
listed in Sticky Situations teach kids about problem solving, conflict
resolution and they learn something about their unique personalities. This can also
help stimulate a conversation with your child about something that may be
bothering him.
This school year I’ve decided that a
set of matching backpacks might be ideal for my son and me. In my backpack I’ll
pack things such as patience, understanding and more patience. And if these things get lost at the bottom of
the backpack, I will work really hard at pulling them out. A spiritual backpack
can consist of whatever belief system you choose live by.
What would you pack in a spiritual
backpack?
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