What a walk through the dark, a quiet warning, and a single statement taught me about courage.

by A Mindful Dad’s Life

Fear is a shadow. Courage is a flame. That’s how the Stoics saw it — not just as bravery, but as the foundation for moral action. A light that helps us step rightly, even when fear is near.

We were leaving a school event not long ago.
The night was cool, and we were walking back to the car.

I asked my son to stay close.
Not because I wanted to scare him,
but because earlier, near the woods,
I’d seen a man who had shouted at people passing by.

I just wanted him aware.
Safe.
Close.

He stayed beside me, as I’d hoped.
But once we were in the car, he looked at me and said something that stuck:

“Kids are pretty helpless. Boys and girls are pretty much defenseless.”

His words landed heavy.
Because I don’t want him moving through the world with that belief.
Not as my son. Not as himself.

Courage Means Acting Even When Afraid:

Here’s what I hope he learns instead:

Courage — Andreia — doesn’t mean being fearless.
It means feeling the fear and still doing what’s right.

Like this:

Can I protect him from every risk?
No.

Can I make the world safe wherever we go?
Not always.

But I can teach him how to face fear without freezing.
I can show him how to step into the braver path when it matters.
That’s Courage. And it’s steady. Quiet. Strong.

For the Stoics, courage was more than boldness — it was ethical strength. Without courage, wisdom stays unspoken, justice goes unseen, and temperance withers. Courage lights the way for all the other virtues to act.

A Tool for Both of Us:

So here’s the practice.

When fear shows up — whether it’s a shadow in the woods,
a tough question in class,
or the moment before trying something new —

Pause.

Ask:
“What would the braver me do right now?”

Then take that step — big or small.
Because you are not helpless.
You are not defenseless.
You are learning every day to be strong, thoughtful, and brave.

Try This Tomorrow:

For You: Notice one moment today where you feel hesitation. Ask yourself: “What’s the braver choice?” Take that step, even if it’s small.

Together: Ask your child to share a time they felt afraid today. Then share one of your own. Talk about the brave step you each took — or could take next time.

Final Thought:

Fear will always be there, a shadow.
But so will courage, a flame.

And courage doesn’t need to roar.
It just needs to whisper “try.”

Every time you listen to that whisper, you light a flame — one that guides you, and one that shows your child how to walk the path with courage too.

We’re not just raising kids. We’re raising ourselves, too.

If you’ve got a saying that works to help your kids be brave— drop it in the comments. Maybe it helps another parent or child light their path.

Because all of this? It’s practice. And practice makes a path we can walk clearly.

This is part 2 of a 4-part series on teaching young children Stoic Virtues. You can find part 1 Here: