21 Lessons Every Parent Should Share with Their Kids

You want the best for your kids, right? One of the best ways to achieve that end is to share your wisdom with them. That will help shape their character, provide them with essential skills, and guide them through life’s journey. As the Dalai Lama said, “Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.”

Here are 21 lessons to share with your kids:

Your expectations don’t just influence your destiny, they determine it. Watch what you believe because your beliefs have a way of becoming your reality.
Everything you do today will impact your tomorrow. Your life is determined by the sum of the choices that you make.
Be a good person. Everything else is secondary. Virtue isn’t demanding more of others; it’s expecting more of yourself.
The best investment you can make is in yourself. Do you make as much effort exercising your mind as your body?
What makes you think your neighbor knows better? When you constantly seek approval, you give more weight to another person’s opinion than to your own.
Instant gratification does not guarantee lifelong happiness. Don’t let a brief moment of happiness leave you with a lifetime of regret.
Surround yourself with positive people; their energy is contagious. Keeping bad company is like being in a germ-infested area. You never know what you’ll catch.
Never lower your standards. Never! People can’t make you do things without your permission.
Listen to your conscience. That’s why you have one. The problem with compromising your principles is that everyone likes you except yourself.
Success comes at a cost. Everything worthwhile in life requires an element of sacrifice. Judge your successes by the sacrifices made to achieve them.
Hard work is good for your soul. The greatest reward of success isn’t the money or acclaim; it’s the confidence and self-respect that success brings with it.
Ability determines if you can; attitude determines if you will. A poor choice or misjudgment is unintentional, while a poor attitude is a deliberate choice.
If you believe you can’t, you won’t. If you stop focusing on all the reasons why you can’t do something, you just may surprise yourself to see what you can do.
Inner peace is a byproduct of how you choose to live your life. Care not only about where life is taking you, but about how you’re getting there as well.
If you don’t start, you’ll never finish. The first step in winning is the willingness to try.
A great start doesn’t always guarantee a great finish. Success is not guaranteed, it’s temporary.
You don’t have to be the best, but you should always do your best. Always give 110%. It’s the extra 10% that everyone remembers.
If you want to share in the rewards, share in the work. If you’re not willing to make the commitment, don’t complain about the outcome.
Trying comes before wanting. You don’t get what you want; you get what you deserve.
It’s hard to demand equality and expect special treatment. Rewards are meaningless if they’re not deserved.
Incremental progress leads to long-lasting results. Measuring progress is often like watching grass grow. While it’s difficult to detect a difference daily, it’s simple to see growth over time.