Leadership can be hard to define. You could say it’s the act of guiding or influencing a group of people, but that definition doesn’t quite capture the spirit of what parents mean when they say, “I want my child to grow up to be a leader.”

Let’s start with a little self-reflection, as parents:

When you are learning a new skill, what’s your first reaction? Are you excited? Nervous? Do you want to walk away or dive in? What happens when you try to solve a problem, but the first attempt fails? Is your instinct to give up? Get mad? Roll up your sleeves and try again?

Gratitude is good for you — and for your kids.

When my children were toddlers, we spent a lot of time grappling with two ideas. First, that you can’t get what you want all the time. And second, that what you do has an impact on the world around you.