Self-control is a moral disposition that strengthens the will, enabling it to resist the inordinate impulses and desires that arise from passion and emotion. Both self-control and moderation effectively govern desire, but self-control achieves this through acts of the will, whereas moderation is a habitual tendency of the passions themselves toward reasonable goods. The disposition of self-control, therefore, is a great aid to the acquisition and preservation of moderation and the other virtues, though it does not attain to the same level of moral excellence.
For Grades K-2:
The virtue of self-control gives us the strength to resist urges and impulses that would lead us away from what is good.
For Grades 3-6:
The virtue of self-control gives us the strength of will to resist strong impulses and desires that pull us away from what is good. Self-control is similar to moderation, but where moderation shapes our desires from within, self-control holds them in check through an effort of will.
