Forming our Youth: Perseverance

Forming Our Youth:
a Marriage-Building Parish Building Block

We must form young people in the beliefs and virtues necessary for healthy relationships. > Read more about this building block

As part of the Marriage Building Parish initiative, the Catholic Family Institute, with permission from Four Court Press LTD, will feature excerpts from Mr. Isaac’s book each month in the bulletin and on this blog.



Character Building: A Guide for Parents and Teachers by David Isaacs

In his book, Mr. Isaacs explores twenty-four virtues we should develop to have more “self-mastery and better serve others,” abilities we all hope our children will have.  Recognizing that the example we set leaves a more lasting impression on our children than the words we say, each chapter includes a description of a virtue and a series of questions that help assess how well you are living that virtue and how well you are helping to develop the virtue in children/students.

The next virtue discussed is Perseverance.

We persevere when we resolutely pursue a goal, even overcoming internal and external difficulties and resisting temptations to do so. It is important to note that blindly pursuing a goal that is clearly imprudent or no longer feasible or meaningful is not a worthy virtue. Perseverance is not the same as mere routine.

Parents should work to develop this virtue in children, particularly between the ages of 7 and 13 by:

• Working with your child to set goals that are related to her/his abilities and character and that she/he can “buy” into.
• Breaking the goal down into manageable, progressive steps that she/he can take over time.
• Showing her/him specifically how to complete each step. Do not assume that she/he knows how to do it.
• Fostering a sense of pride in your child, so that she/he feels the importance of what she/he as set out to achieve.
• Letting your child know what help may be necessary along the way and where she/he can find that help.

Answer the following questions and discuss your reflections with a spouse/friend.

Do I Persevere?

• Do I set goals for myself and fix stages towards these goals in order to check whether I am making progress?
• When I set up a new goal, do I look for something I can set aside in order to concentrate my efforts on this new goal?
• Do I ask for the right help at the right time to pursue my goals?

Do I Teach Others to Persevere?

• Do I give clear-cut objectives to the children so that they get used to persevering?
• Do I reason with the children so they recognize the importance of their goals and working to achieve them?
• Do I help the children foresee problems and figure out how to overcome them?

Please share your thoughts and comments.