Moms and Dads: when we exert power and control over our children with the only reason being because we have more power and control, we teach our sons and daughters to do the same; to look for and use a position of power to their advantage.
When we use our power privilege without good reason too broadly and repeatedly, we teach our kids lasting lessons. We either teach our children to be on the receiving end of this, and to get used to it, or we teach our children to mimic our behavior, and take advantage of power they might have.
How could we not be teaching this? Children grow into their environment.
Question: How would we have to raise boys and girls if we wanted them to have a healthy relationship to power, their own and other’s power?
“With Great power comes Great Responsibility” (Ben Parker). We should bring our children’s strengths and sources of power to the forefront of their thinking. We should ask them to reflect on how they use their power in order to influence their environment and others in their communities. Finally, we should ask them how they may change their habits in order to use their power in a helpful way.