Parents don’t know what’s good about themselves.
I do workshops for sports teams of junior and high schools, and often begin with a session for parents. In these workshops, participants are invited to self-reflect if they want.
Many Japanese parents say they want their children to be self-trusting and proud of who they are.
But when asked about their own strengths, many parents quietly confess that they don’t know what’s good about themselves. Some can name only one or two things they like about themselves — despite having worked hard for years in business, at home, and in their communities.
This moment always reminds me that something essential may have been missing in our education — not all of it, of course, but especially in how we nurture the mind and heart.
Isn’t it time we reimagine education — to help people not just succeed, but flourish from within?
