This month Lincoln School is focusing on the hard character trait- Appreciation of Beauty. Sometimes it is a brilliant sunset, a simple act of kindness, an adorable puppy or your first view of a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon. In that moment, you feel a sense of wonder, awe or admiration. Appreciation of beauty is defined as the ability to recognize and take pleasure when we experience those moments of awe. Studies show that appreciating beauty causes the heart rate to slow, brain waves to soften, and your endocrine system to synchronize. A sense of peace and rightness washes over us. Appreciation is a powerful antidote to fear. When we take the time to appreciate beauty, we then allow ourselves to dream and strive to be successful in order to continue to recreate that feeling of wellbeing. You can help your child appreciate the beauty around us in everyday things and events. Take the time to bring a particularly beautiful flower or natural scenery to your child’s attention, point out the colors or smells. Allow your child to “drink in the moment” and appreciate the positive things surrounding us. “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ―Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
