Why Empowerment Trumps Help

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Maimonides

This philosopher much like us lived at the turn of a century. He died in 1204. One thing his time and our time must share are the poor. His statement reads to me about empowering a person.

When you give a struggling persin something they need you do two things one intentional and one not. The first is you help the iut of a bind. The second is to teach them there will always be help. Which may or may not be true. So, what do I suggest di both simultaneously. If someone comes along who needs help feed them and teach them to fish. 

Empowering someone is all about helping them to developing the tools to get back on their feet and get to the place where they can empower others. 

Empowering trumps help because it offers a person the chance to grow and turn to another and help them to do the same.

This is the foundation of my philosophy of parenting education. It's my job to empower parentshelping them to recognize how their strengths and weaknesses affect them and their children. Giving them the tools they need to strengthen the relationship between parents and children. In the end I am saying it is better to empower children than to help thEm, though both are necessary.