Why Trump is So Bad for Kids
By Steve Siebold
Modern American values in leadership have shifted tremendously. From regal leaders with humble beginnings, have emerged a new class and concept of the wealthy individual. In the form of the new president, Donald Trump, children and adults alike are seeing a wealthy businessman demonstrate qualities that are not in the highest regard.
It can be a challenge for anyone to rationalize and understand the root of his behaviors, but it can also be a tremendous learning opportunity for everyone, especially children. After all, young impressionable minds don’t know any better, so it’s important to make sure that they understand what they see from the President on television is not how most people act, and it’s certainly not a representation of the behaviors and character of the majority of the self-made rich.
The following six qualities are cornerstones of Donald Trump’s public persona, but they aren’t representations of wealthy and successful people overall. Here’s why:
It is not okay to be a bully
Children know it best – bullying is hurtful and unkind. Whether you are an adult or child, it is known that purposefully hurting feelings of another is inhumane behavior. You can explain to your children that individuals who bully were often bullied themselves. When adults express behavior of bullying, it can be a prime time to explain the importance of empathy and compassion to your children.
Develop a game plan for your child to demonstrate compassion and empathy towards those that are the victims of bullying.
Explain why some individuals might struggle to have empathy for others. Ask them if there are individuals they know that are bullies or kids who are the victims of bullying. Develop a game plan for your child to demonstrate compassion and empathy towards those that are the victims of bullying. It is not a bad idea to discuss why someone that is a bully may need empathy and compassion as well.
Abusing power does not gain it
Wealthy individuals have more power, but it is how they utilize it that is important. Abusing power for selfish gain is not sustainable in the long run. There are positions in leadership that are seen as role models purely for their role or title. Teach your children that it is not the role of the individual that is powerful, but the person that holds the seat. These people need to reflect respectable qualities, and if they do not it can be a perfect time to express what a positive leader should do in that position as a role model.
A focus on the petty is not pretty
Wealthy and successful individuals do not get their positions from focusing on petty things. Trivial means do not get leaders to their current positions. Use negative examples of pettiness and inconsiderate behaviors to explain to your kids correct behaviors. Negative role models provide a very important example of what not to do. These can be extremely powerful in the impressionable minds of children. Yourself as the parent must model positive qualities for your children to obtain a comprehensive understanding of what is okay and what is not.
An overabundance of ego does not garner success
Ego is a self-focused concept. Self-made wealthy people get that way because they focus beyond themselves. They often look at the big picture, and how that effects other people. Wealthy people are often quite philanthropic. They invest in causes that help better the lives of others. Not to mention they create jobs for other people when they expand their entrepreneurial interests. Very little in business is about me.
Lying is not rewarded in business
Although wealthy and seemingly successful people may publicly lie, it won’t last for long. The truth always catches up to those that are dishonest. Transparency is an extremely important aspect to success in business. You must let the people know honestly what is occurring in order to build trust and sell your product. Trust is created through honesty with transparency. Once you lose the customer’s trust, you lose their dollar.
Treating women like objects is a thing of the past
If the past year has shown us anything, it is that women are not going to sit by and take harassment any longer. The culture has shifted into one of respect for all people. Women demanded respect and now they are receiving it. Demonstrate to your children what respect towards women looks like. The negative examples that fill television and news stories are prime examples of how not to treat other human beings.
The takeaway
President Trump is known for being a self-made business success. There are many other self-made businesspeople that do not reflect his negative personality and character traits. His downfalls are not a result of his wealth or business choices, but rather of his core personality.
Encourage your children to attain their dreams, while maintaining compassion and humbleness along the way. Whether they grow up with money or not is irrelevant. The most important thing you can do as a parent is to teach your kids to be good, decent human beings above all else. If they happen to make it big and become financially successful, encourage them to remain humble and use their success to help others and make the world a better place.
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of GRAND Media. Additionally, this link from Ken Boyd
Accounting & Finance Expert is also quite illuminating o the business practices of Mr. Trump.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – STEVE SIEBOLD
Steve Siebold is author of Secrets Self-Made Millionaires Teach Their Kids and has been a psychological performance expert for the last 30 years.
