The Character Issue: Citizenship

April has arrived. The past month of March was full of change and challenges, and it will be a month that most of us will never forget. We do not know what April has in store, but I (Sharon) choose hope and optimism as we enter this new month and I hope you will join me. 

What do I owe to my times, to my country, to my neighbors, to my friends? Such are the questions which a virtuous man ought often to ask himself.

— Johann Kaspar Lavater, German poet & physiognomist (1741-1801)

The SLOCA character traits that are highlighted each month are on a set rotation. How amazing is it, then, that they have lined up with all that is going on around us? For March, our character trait was Courage, and oh how we needed it as we embarked on this unique journey into unknown territories (not quite unlike the New World colonists that we are currently learning about in history). 

For April, our character trait is Citizenship. A few months back, when I noticed this month’s character trait, I remember thinking, “I’m not sure what I would write for a Character Issue on citizenship?” Well, quite a lot has happened over these past few weeks and we are currently living in a perfect example of Citizenship. 

SLOCA Defines Citizenship As:

Recognizing one’s place in the greater communities (family, school, local and country) through active service and respectful devotion to the community’s members, values and standards.

The Catch Phrase Is:

Everyone Counts.

By this point, you have probably already had several conversations with your children about why we are sheltering in place and social distancing, etc. Some of them may understand it and chances are some of them do not. Either way, this is an excellent time to talk with them about all of our SLOCA character traits and specifically discuss what is Citizenship. Here are a few discussion starters for you and your family. 

• First, ask your kids if they can define Citizenship.
• Then, read with them the SLOCA definition. See how the definitions compare.
• What makes a community?
• What communities are you a part of? Do you like being a part of these communities? What do you appreciate about them?
• Is citizenship only in relation to being a citizen of a particular country?
• What are the qualities of a good citizen?
• What responsibilities do you have as a citizen? What privileges do you have?
• What are somethings we can do to serve our family, our school, our city or our country in these current times?
• How is our staying isolated respectful devotion to the community’s members?
• Can one person make a difference?
• What does “Everyone counts” mean to you?
• Imagine what the world would be like if we all just lived for ourselves.
• Take the time to make an acrostic of “CITIZENSHIP”. (For example: C-Community or Country, I-Indespensible or Indivisible, etc.) Display it in your home to remind you of our character trait.

As I indicated in the intro, the monthly character traits seem to be been perfectly suited for the current events. For the upcoming month of May, we have the combo of Resilience and Resourcefulness. I look forward to writing about how we, the SLOCA community, continue to be resilient and resourceful, “[recovering] strength, determination, spirit, flexibility and good humor in the face of change, mistakes, and trials.”

Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.

— John Wooden, UCLA basketball coach (1910-2010)