9 Key Values You Should Teach Your Children
There are certain key values that parents should instill in their children. These values will help them face the world in a healthy way.
A parent’s main job is to love and educate their children. As parents we should always be by our children’s side, supporting and advising them even when they don’t agree with certain decisions.
It has been proven that children learn by example. If you want to teach your child to be responsible, honest and kind, you should make sure you set the right example.
There is no point trying to teach a child behavior that they don’t see reflected in their parents. This way, you’ll improve both your own and your child’s behavior.
There are many values that you can instill in your children, however there are 9 that are of paramount importance.
If your child never learns the following key values, they may have many problems in the future.
9 key values that you should teach your child
Honesty
This is a basic value that must be taught from an early age. Sometimes children choose to lie or cover up their actions in order to avoid being punished. It’s important for parents to talk to them in order to teach them the importance of telling the truth.
If you find out that your child is telling lies, sit the child down and talk to them. Ask why they’re doing it and tell them that lies bring negative consequences.
Tolerance
We must tolerate the thoughts and attitudes of other people even when we disagree with them. If there was more tolerance in the world, we wouldn’t have as many problems as we do today.
By teaching this value to your child, you’ll help them learn to accept and respect others. They’ll know that their opinion is just as valuable as anyone else’s.
A tolerant child can play with others without fighting when they have a disagreement. By teaching your child to be tolerant, you’re teaching them to dialogue and to avoid violence.
Respect
Respecting those who are older is one of the first things your child should learn. This is an essential value for their integration in society.
They shouldn’t raise their voice or contradict anyone rudely. They should also respect the rules of the house. These are just a few ways that they can show this important value.
Responsibility
Developing the value of responsibility can help a child in various ways. Firstly, responsibility will help the child fulfill their obligations both at school and at home.
In order to instill the value of responsibility in your child, you must clearly define their obligations and make sure they don’t go uncompleted.
Your values define who you really are. Your real identity is the sum of your values
–Assegid Habte–
Goodness
All parents want their children to be good and generous. A child who is willing to help others when they’re in need will be an exceptional adult.
In order to become a good person, the child must develop the gift of empathy. Teach them the importance of putting themselves in someone else’s shoes.
We’re all human, and everyone has their reasons to act the way they do.
Kindness
Your child should learn to be kind to others. We all have bad days when we’re simply not in a good mood. That is still no excuse to take it out on the people who surround us.
They should be polite and friendly. Your child should also know how to behave according to the situation. Sometimes a smile is all it takes to change the way people see problems.
Character
Your child should adopt good habits. This will be difficult at first, but as soon as they create the habit, it will stay.
It’s important for them to set limits and learn that they can’t always do what they want. Only by doing this will they learn to be mature and assertive.
Self-esteem
It’s very important for children to accept themselves. Parents must lead by example since they’re the child’s role models.
Teach your child to love themselves and to not accept certain behavior from others. No one has the right to treat them badly or to make them feel inferior.
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- Fragoso Fernández, E., & Canales Rodríguez, E. L. (2009). Estrategias educativas para la formación en valores desde la educación informal de la familia. Educere, 13(44), 177-185. http://www.scielo.org.ve/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1316-49102009000100021
- Haydon, G. (2003). Enseñar valores: un nuevo enfoque (Vol. 39). Ediciones Morata.
- Schiller, P., Bryant, T., & Caso, J. (2001). Cómo enseñar los valores a los niños.