Tagged: “Forgiveness Education”
Thank you again for clarifying the concept of inherent worth. Can you suggest a picture book to help children grasp the idea of inherent worth?
Yes, we have used Eve Bunting’s children’s book, Summer Wheels, among many others. In this story, the Bicycle Man repairs and lends bicycles to neighborhood children. The rule is that all bikes must be returned by 4pm. When one boy disobeys and keeps the bike, two other boys get angry. Eventually, the angry ones see how tenderly the Bicycle Man treats the bike-keeping boy, showing that persons are more important than objects, even bicycles.
Thank you for clarifying the importance of having children learn about inherent worth. Can this actually be taught with children as young as six or seven years old?
Yes, we have done this successfully, for example, in Northern Ireland. We even use the words “inherent worth,” and the children can understand that it is a basic point of being human, going beyond actions only.
What is one cognitive skill you want to see in primary school children who are beginning to learn about forgiveness?
A major cognitive advance is to start seeing the inherent worth in all people, not because of actions themselves, but because they are persons who are special, unique, and irreplaceable beyond their actions.
How do you correct a young child who equates forgiveness with revenge?
A first step is to talk about seeing mercy in the world. Then, this can be slowly applied to injustices, with the caveat that one can show mercy toward offending other people and, at the same time, strive for justice so that the injustice can be corrected.
You discuss how a child learns forgiveness from their family, friends, and someone of higher authority. What must a child learn specifically as the first step toward understanding forgiveness?
Actually, the most important part of children learning to forgive is teaching them what forgiveness is and how to forgive. An important initial step for the children is for them to see that forgiveness is a moral virtue of goodness toward those who hurt the child’s heart. This can take time because it is counterintuitive in societies that put almost all of their emphasis on justice rather than mercy.
