There are so many awards out there that gain our kiddos attention. Medals for athletics, academics… you name it, and you can probably win a trophy for it. Awards and ribbons are great. They set a goal with prizes attached and teach that to obtain the award you need hard work and grit.
But, what about awards for personal character growth? Most of what our kids really need to be celebrated for doesn’t have a medal, trophy, or a signed paper to commemorate their worthy moment. So as parents, these are the things we might need to praise the most.
In our home, we want to make sure our kids know that we care WAY more about their character development than their sports development, memorization work, spelling, or whatever it might be. When our kids were little, we decided that we wanted to praise character, growth, and grit. And the award? A Rocky Moment.
Come on, you’ve seen it! In Rocky II, Sylvester Stalone has been relentlessly training and is now in the best shape of his life. After running for several miles, he climbs the 72 stone steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and reaches the top of the stairs with both arms in the air, celebrating his progress and achievement. The scene was so epic these steps are now called the “Rocky Steps” in Philadelphia. 🙂
To recreate this type of celebration and excitement in our home over progress in character development, growth, or grit, we recreate this Rocky Moment. We tell the kids they need to meet us at the bottom of the stairs for a “Rocky” announcement. We all run up the stairs and into our bedroom and stop at the foot of the bed. The kids know that someone is getting a Rocky Moment, but they don’t know who. Eek! We pick up the kid, put them on the bed, and each parent grabs an arm. We lift both arms high into the air and take a few minutes to talk about something in their character that we are proud of and have seen progress in.Â
These moments are rare for each child (maybe a couple per year) and are a big deal. They create huge momentum, excitement, and joy in the lives of our kids. Most importantly, they send a clear message to our kids on what we value as a family. Award achievement is excellent and we want that for them, but character achievement… this is what we live for and is most valued in our home.
Maybe you don’t need to recreate a scene from Rocky, but, when you see your kids personally grow or do something of high character, praise the heck out it! Make it a big deal! They will remember your words and how it made them feel… probably just like Rocky. 🙂
HLLF – Melissa
