Patience: A Key Ingredient for Stronger Communities, Families, and Schools
- Give N' Grow
- Feb 28
- 5 min read
Patience is the ability to wait calmly for something to happen or develop. It means managing our impulses and understanding that not everything happens instantly. Whether we’re waiting for a special event, a turn in a game, or a project to unfold, patience plays a crucial role in our daily lives. It helps us stay calm when things don’t go as quickly as we’d like and teaches us to trust the process, even when it’s difficult.
In our communities, families, and schools, patience is essential. In communities, patience allows us to work together toward common goals and support each other during challenges. Within families, it’s the ability to give time and understanding to each other, especially during stressful moments. In schools, patience helps both students and teachers maintain a positive environment for learning, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to grow at their own pace.
Embracing the Moment: How Presence Fuels Patience
The link between presence and patience lies in the ability to stay focused on the current moment without rushing or reacting impulsively. When you're present, you're more aware of your thoughts and surroundings, allowing you to embrace waiting without frustration. This mindfulness helps you remain calm and accept that things will unfold in their own time, making it easier to practice patience in situations where things are beyond your control.
Patience, in turn, supports presence by helping you accept delays or uncertainty without stress. By letting go of the need to force outcomes, patience allows you to stay grounded and avoid getting distracted by what’s coming next. Together, presence and patience help you navigate life’s moments with calm, clarity, and acceptance, making it easier to handle challenges and delays without anxiety.
The Science of Patience: Benefits for Kids, Parents, and Teachers
Scientific research shows that patience is linked to numerous benefits in personal and academic development. Studies on delayed gratification, a form of patience, have shown that children who develop this skill tend to have better outcomes in school, work, and health as they grow up. The famous Marshmallow Test conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel revealed that children who were able to wait for a second marshmallow (rather than eat the first one immediately) were more likely to have higher academic success and better health as they grew older.
Patience also plays a significant role in emotional regulation. Kids who practice patience can better manage their emotions when things don’t go as planned, while parents and teachers who demonstrate patience set a model for calm, rational responses to stress and frustration. This leads to better mental health and fewer emotional outbursts in challenging situations.
A Step-by-Step Patience Activity for Kids, Families, and Classrooms
Here’s an interactive SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) activity designed to help children develop patience in a fun and engaging way. This activity incorporates body movement, breathing techniques, affirmations, and challenges to nurture patience.
1. Movement for Patience: 1 Leg Balance and Dancer’s Pose
Activity: Start by balancing on one leg. Then, raise the opposite knee and grab the ankle of the raised leg, bringing it to a standing position. Move into Dancer's Pose by extending the raised leg backward and reaching one arm forward while holding the raised foot. Hold the pose for a few breaths, focusing on maintaining balance and grace.
Benefits: This exercise teaches kids to stay calm and focused as they balance, promoting patience with themselves as they learn new skills. Balance exercises, especially challenging poses like Dancer’s Pose, force kids to be present to stay balanced which helps develop the skill of presence by focusing on what's here and important now. Balancing also strengthens the legs and core, and helps develop resilience and persistence.
2. Breathing Technique for Patience: Slow Patient Box Breathing
Activity: Begin with slow, deep breaths, inhaling for 4 counts (“I am patient with myself”), holding for 4 counts, then exhaling for 4 counts (“I am patient with others”), holding again for 4 counts. Repeat this cycle for a few minutes, encouraging children to focus on their breath.
Benefits: Box breathing helps kids regulate their emotions and stay calm when things feel slow or frustrating. This technique is especially useful when kids feel impatient or anxious, providing a tool to manage their emotions in real-time.
Challenge for Patience: Seed Planting
Activity: Each child plants a seed in a small pot or garden area. Over time, they must wait for the seed to grow, checking on it each day and recording its progress. The idea is to give children a concrete, real-life example of patience as they nurture the seed and watch it grow slowly.
Benefits: This activity teaches delayed gratification and patience through the experience of waiting for something to grow. It also gives children a sense of accomplishment as they see their efforts pay off over time, reinforcing that good things often take time.
Additional Ideas for Practicing Patience
Create a Patience Jar: Have kids write down acts of patience on slips of paper (e.g., waiting for their turn in a game, staying calm during a long wait). Each time they practice patience, they can add a slip to the jar. Over time, they’ll be able to see all the moments when they were patient.
Slow Down Activities: Encourage kids to do activities slowly and mindfully, such as eating a meal without rushing, drawing or coloring with focus, or walking at a calm pace. This can help children practice patience in daily routines.
Model Patience: Parents and teachers can model patience by calmly managing stressful situations, giving children a clear example of how to react in challenging moments. Children often mirror the behavior they see, so displaying patience yourself is one of the best ways to teach it.
Practice Waiting: Set up small challenges where kids need to wait for something, such as waiting a few extra minutes before playing a game or waiting for a fun activity after completing a task. This can help children get used to the idea of waiting without feeling frustrated.
Prioritizing Patience
Patience is a valuable skill that can significantly impact our relationships, our success in school, and our overall well-being. By teaching children how to practice patience in fun and engaging ways, we help them develop emotional regulation, improve their social interactions, and cultivate personal growth. Whether through simple activities like balancing poses, breathing techniques, or gardening, patience can be practiced daily and lead to positive changes in both kids and adults. Let’s take the time to practice patience—not only in moments of calm but especially during challenging times when it’s needed the most.