Cultures worldwide recognize patience as a virtue in both children and adults. Yet, fostering this quality in children is becoming increasingly difficult in our instant-gratification-focused world. In an era of instantly streaming videos, text messaging, and fast food, helping children see the value of patience can be challenging. We know, however, that in the long term, patience pays off. We’ve all seen the value of patience in our personal lives, careers, and relationships. Let’s consider modern ways to foster this ancient (but still relevant) quality in our children.
Beyond being considered a “nice” quality, patience has been linked to tangible positive outcomes for children and adults. For instance, in a study where individuals participated in a training program to increase patience, research showed they exhibited higher levels of positive feelings and lower levels of depression. Thus, this shows that patience is not only a characteristic that can be modified with training, but it also has meaningful positive impacts on people’s lives.
Since patience is a skill that takes years to develop, it is also useful to look at its benefits in adults. Among adults, patience is linked to better physical and mental health as well as strong relationship skills. Thus, it seems clear that patience is a quality worth fostering in our children for both their immediate well-being and their long-term development.
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