Nowadays, when the pace of life is so fast, we also face many challenges in parenting. Raising children and teaching them values are the basic foundation of any healthy family. Yet we often wonder if we are up to the task – and can we teach our children true values? The primary role in this process is played by the family, school, church, and institutions – which we consider to be the most important factors in the process of value transfer. Yet, no matter what – we often encounter dilemmas and one of the basic questions: What essential character values to instill in your child?
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Contents
- Parents As A Rule Model
- What Values Should We Teach Our Kids?
- 5 Essential Character Values You Can Teach Your Child
- 1. Teach them acceptance
- 2. Teach Them About Sending The Right Message
- 3. Don’t do them a ‘bad favor’ by celebrating even the slightest success
- 4. Always The Truth Instead Of Keeping Secrets
- 5. Let the children do as much as they can on their own
- The Child Learns The Most Through Play And Conversation
Parents As A Rule Model
Truthfulness, honesty, sacrifice, generosity, tolerance, humanity, diligence, perseverance, justice, etc. – these are the qualities that adorn a well-raised person of any age. This is what we have been learning since childhood – these are an integral part of the character which will shape its individuality. The first precondition for these personality traits to be encouraged and developed in children is that the parents themselves – already have them. It is unfair to require a child to always tell the truth if his parents resort to lies from time to time.
Whether it is a broken promise or contradictions – children will recognize that very quickly. The basic point of true values is that you need to persevere and be consistent in your words and actions. Thus, the personal example of the parents is the first important factor for the upbringing of a healthy personality of the child.
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What Values Should We Teach Our Kids?
Nowadays, parents often wonder how to provide a secure future for their children. But the questions are: How to strengthen them and what values to teach them? Is it possible to achieve that they are both strong and sensitive, full of self-confidence but also modest? It may seem to us that we are facing a great challenge that we can’t overcome. However, the answer to everything is more than simple. These are the things kids can learn – and you can surely instill some of these essential values in your children’s character.
5 Essential Character Values You Can Teach Your Child
1. Teach them acceptance
Source: The Blogs – The Times of Israel
Parents are the child’s first teachers in life – and everything parents pass on to them is extremely important. In their first years of life, we can teach them a lot without even being aware of it. That is, they learn from our behavior and actions – and we don’t even notice it. One of the important things they can learn from us is how to treat other people. People should be treated kindly and strive to include and accept everyone, regardless of race, religion, appearance, etc. We need to put aside our personal beliefs and be equally accessible to everyone because in this way – we send a very important message to children that will last a lifetime.
2. Teach Them About Sending The Right Message
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Recently, many websites and portals have been celebrating some unusual fashion. Children often identify with the characters and words on their T-shirts or with the brand they wear. Companies are increasingly taking notice of fashion preferences for grade schoolers, preteens and teenagers are now offering an array of inspirational kids wear that is both fashionable and meaningful. Most designers subtly make a fashion statement through the words and images they use on items. These items do not always ‘scream’ an expensive brand, but they make a big impression on a child’s self-esteem and help foster self-love and confidence. For example, it can be a message about the values that are nurtured in your home.
According to divinebeginnings.com – Christian values are introduced by parents, reinforced by teachers and the church, exhibited through actions, and displayed through clothing. This niche company focuses on instilling beliefs and values into children through fashion. With such a wardrobe, children will understand and establish their own identity even better. Even though each item carries a Biblical or Biblically-inspired message, their designs and messaging are not intrusive at all – but rather very subtle and sweet.
Whether it’s simple inspiration or Christian-themed clothing and accessories, your child will be noticed, nicely dressed – and most importantly, will learn values from home that will stay with them for a lifetime.
3. Don’t do them a ‘bad favor’ by celebrating even the slightest success
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Today, everything has turned into trophies and a celebration of children’s successes. Some successes are worth celebrating, but some are truly an exaggeration. The loss of the first tooth, every drawing that child is making, going to kindergarten – all these are normal developmental stages, and not reasons for celebrations and rewards. Instead of glorifying the little things – focus on empowering your child for disappointments and failures and allowing him to experience them sometimes.
4. Always The Truth Instead Of Keeping Secrets
Source: Mother, Baby & Child
Telling the truth is most important: When someone is hurt, there is a danger or if there is a possibility that something bad may happen to someone because of keeping a secret. But there is a big difference between telling the truth and being a tattletale. Therefore, even though you teach children to tell the truth, constantly asking a brother, sister, friend, or relative to report some bad behavior can make your child a snitch.
5. Let the children do as much as they can on their own
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Sometimes it’s hard to watch a child spill milk all over the table, and just a few drops hit the glass. Maybe it’s even harder when they want to dress for an event without anyone’s help. Every sleeve and every sock takes too much time, and you just look at your watch and curse yourself for allowing it at all.
But when you let them do something on their own, you’re building their character. And keep in mind that after all this practice, they will become true professionals in dressing and pouring milk. Therefore, give children as much independence as possible from the first moment they ask you to. One day you will be grateful to yourself. Let them do as much as they can on their own.
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The Child Learns The Most Through Play And Conversation
Since the words lie, truth, good, bad, diligence, charity, etc. are abstract for young children – they should be introduced to it gradually so that they can understand them. This, again, requires examples, both from everyday life and from children’s stories, fairy tales, puppet shows, and role-playing. Children can learn the most through play. As you stack Lego bricks with your child – you can tell him how important it is to try, not to give up easily, to encourage him to keep working, etc. This will help him overcome failure and teach him patience as well as a lot of other values.
