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In my last article, I asked the question, “What is on your wish list for your children?”

I suggested that most likely near the top of your list is a wish for a long and happy life for your children!

In recent years, the Search Institute, an organization that specializes in research on children and teenagers, began asking some pointed and powerful questions, such as:

“Why do some kids have a fairly easy time growing up, while others struggle?” “Why do some get involved in dangerous activities, while others lead productive lives?” “Why do some beat the odds, while others get trapped?”

What they found is that assets make the difference.  Assets protect and empower youth.  The effects of assets are cumulative — the more assets you have the less likely one is to struggle and the more likely one is to succeed in life.

The Search Institute has delineated 40 assets grouped into two categories, internal assets and external assets. External Assets are good things a person needs in their life and Internal Assets are good things a person needs in them self.

The good news is that both Internal and External Assets can be built!

In a recent article, we discussed such External Assets as support, empowerment, boundaries, and constructive use of time.

In this article, we want to consider Internal Assets which include:

Commitment to Learning such as: achievement, motivation, school engagement, doing homework, bonding to school, and reading for pleasure.

Positive Values such as: caring, equality and social justice, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and restraint.

Social Competencies such as: planning and decision making, interpersonal competence, cultural competence, resistance skills, and peaceful conflict resolution.

Positive Identity such as: personal power, self-esteem, sense of purpose, and positive view of personal future.

What is on your wish list for your children?

Most likely near the top of your list is a wish for a long and happy life for your children!

Assets won’t make your youth’s problems disappear. Assets will build the support, skills, and resources that can help overcome the challenges all young people face in their lives.

For more information on helping your kids build their assets you might wish to visit the Search Institute web site: www.search-institute.org.

Donald F. Starn, M.A.T., M.Div., C.P.S., has served in hospital administration, public and private school teaching, and the pastoral ministry. He founded Prevention Plus of Burlington County in 1991 and serves as Executive Director. Mr. Starn serves as Chair of the Burlington County Human Services Advisory Committee and the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Committee, President of the Board of Partners for Kids and Families and Chair of the New Jersey Childhood Drinking Coalition. He is the father of three children, Luke, Jason and Rachel and has a partner of fourteen years.