The truth all parents need to hear to raise brave kids.

How do you teach your kids about courage? Let’s talk about the wrong beliefs we all have had throughout our lives which hinder our ability to overcome fear and help our children through their own process.

I learned some powerful lessons from Philip McKernan, an international speaker and author who helps people to face their fears and gain the confidence to thrive in their careers and in life.

Let me share the key takeaways with you. 

fear is not your enemy

Before we address courage, we need to understand what fear is and where it comes from. The origin of our fears usually lies in our unconscious minds, which is why it can be very difficult for us to move forward.

Philip recommends asking ourselves these questions:

• Why am I afraid of this?
• Where did this feeling start?
• Is this related to a relationship with someone I am deeply connected with?
• What is this fear trying to tell me?

This emotion can actually be your friend.

It might be trying to tell you something important you need to address right now before it consumes you. Maybe you need to reflect on a relationship that has been causing you pain for a long time.

Why are relationships related to fears?

Because fear doesn’t exist in isolation. When we don’t address issues we have with someone close to us, we could transform this negative energy into fear. 

Tune in and dissect why you are afraid of this.

Once you understand where this comes from or who it may be related to, this fear starts losing its grip on you and then it stops influencing your life and your decisions.

Your confidence will grow and you will have more tools to help your children live a life with less fear.

NO MATtER how much you love your children. you will hurt them 

And that’s okay. We’re in this together.

As parents, we all need to recognize that our children will probably be in therapy when they grow older. And that’s not our fault. We are not perfect, and that is not something to be afraid of.

We are only human.

That doesn’t mean we should give up on our kids. What it means is that we have to give ourselves a break and quit the need to be perfect.

your kids need to see your vulnerability

Have you ever cried in front of them?

If you hide your vulnerability, you are not helping them. Philip explains that our children’s confidence grows when they take us off of a pedestal.

When they see our real vulnerability, they realise we are not perfect and, therefore, they don’t have to be perfect either. You can teach them powerful tools to face their own challenges as adults when they see you going through a difficult process.

Allow your kids to really see you.

It’s okay to ask for help.

It’s okay to be in pain.

They need to see how you overcome your obstacles in your way to find your purpose. That’s a gift, and they will thank you for it when they are old enough to understand.

Instead of telling them to be brave, show them how and lead by example.

Growing up, how did you learn about courage?