Warren Buffett: A Good Model for Kids

Develop Principles to Guide You Through Life

  “Who do you admire?” a third grader asks his grandpa.

 “One is Warren Buffet. He has principles and principles don’t change. They are your guide to help you be happy, successful, and care for others. You are never too young to learn them.”

Find work that you love

  Even when you are very young you will boost your chance of success and happiness. Learn to like work, not sitting around being lazy. Find joy in working hard and focus on that. Any job can create satisfaction. Warren Buffet happens to like working and reading about numbers. He likes to say he’s been able to “tap dance to work.” He means he likes to do his work. Search for  things you really like in school. They are there. Pay attention in school, ask questions, volunteer, participate, discuss, and work hard. Buffet says, “I just have a great time time every day. I’m getting to do exactly what I want to do in life and it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Stay calm under pressure

   Warren Buffet avoids making emotional decisions, panicking, losing his temper, or acting out. Take deep breaths, count to ten, say a little prayer, take a walk, make a little joke, laugh it off, or chuckle and discuss later.

Don’t compromise your integrity

Never Stop Learning

  Help someone when you know it’s the right thing to do. If someone is being bullied on the playground don’t be a bystander. Tell someone of authority, speak out, or redirect the group.  If someone is lying, stealing, or cheating, get out of there. Don’t be a part of the situation.

Never stop learning

  Warren Buffet reads, learns from books and newspapers, asks questions, and thinks.  He reads 500 pages a day. Always have a couple books going—school books, fiction, and nonfiction. Have an insatiable appetite for learning. “That’s how knowledge builds up like compound interest,” Buffet says. Compound interest is when you earn money on the money you’ve already made. 

Polish your Communication Skills

  Talk in front of groups of people every chance you have. Volunteer to be in front of people. Mr. Buffett is known for his folksy way of talking about subjects so people can understand. He said he was terrified about public speaking and had to learn how to do it in a Dale Carnegie class. He faced his fears and overcame them.

Keep Life Simple

Don’t Overspend

You don’t need all that stuff. Keep life simple.

Stick to Your Principles

   Think for yourself. Don’t always follow your friends. Your parents and faith have taught you right from wrong. Some books to read are Becoming Warren Buffett by Roger Lowenstein; IBD Buffett article by Adam Shell, for adults; The Tale of Tortoise Buffett by Lucas Remmerswaal, for kids; wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons; grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com; Facebook and Pinterest.

Photos, Fran Darling, fdarling fotos  

Hugs and Cuddles Very Important

Reassure Children They Are Loved 

How can we can express and receive love so children will understand and be reassured they are loved? In the “The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively” Drs. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell emphasize the importance of many forms of hugs.

   Although each child is a distinct individual, children respond to five primary love languages: affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. The key is finding the best way each child expresses and understands love and then communicating our love in that primary language often.

   We can express our love in other ways, but there is one primary language an individual understands best. Chapman and Campbell explain how to find the best language, express it, and solve problems by using it.

Babies’ Needs

  According to Drs. Chapman and Campbell, “babies who are held, caressed, and kissed often develop a healthier emotional life.”  Physical touch is one of love’s 

All Children Need to be Touched and Loved

strongest languages dating back to recorded history across cultures.  It shouts, “I love you!”   This is one of the first things therapists teach nervous parents.

  All children need to be touched and receive the tender touch of care givers. Evidence of holding and cuddling is an important qualification to look for in day care of babies. “A baby deserves loving and gentle touches whether in changing diapers, feeding or carrying.” Babies can tell the difference between gentle, harsh, or irritating touches and voices. Gently touch baby’s little fingers, toes, arms, legs tummy, nose and ears. Pat and kiss a baby’s head and softly tell how much he is loved.

  As children become toddlers, preschoolers and school age, wrestling on the floor, riding piggyback, playful loving touches, bear hugs, and fist bumps are loving touches for boys and girls. Boys receive fewer than than girls, not good, according to Drs. Chapman and Campbell. Both need to understand they are loved to meet life’s challenges.

Hugs and Security

  

A Hug A Day!!

According to these doctors a hug to start the day may mean “the difference between emotional security and insecurity throughout the day.  A hug when the child returns may determine whether your child has a quiet evening of positive mental and physical activity or makes a rambunctious effort to get your attention. Home is a haven, the place where love is secure.”  As children get older, they still long for physical affection like a touch on the arm, a pat on the back, or a quick hug.

  Some great physical touch books for babies include “Where is Baby’s Belly Button”, “Daddy Hugs”, and “County Kisses” by Karen Katz; “If Animals Kissed Goodnight” by Ann Whitford Hall; “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle; and “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes” by Annie Kubler.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.