A solid value system does more than make your child more pleasant to be around. It gives him or her a solid sense of self which can offer protection when exposed to temptation and peer pressure. Here are the 10 values that your children need before they embark on the journey of adulthood.
- Honesty. Instill in your children the importance of telling the truth. You can do this by listening to your children without yelling, so they will not be afraid to be honest.
- Determination. Throughout their lives, children will encounter difficult situations which require persistence. Teach your children to persevere and not give up so they can succeed at tough tasks.
- Love. Demonstrating and encouraging unconditional love within the family unit will teach your child the importance of loving others, even if they don’t always like them.
- Respect. Through your own example, strive to raise children who always remember to say “please” and “thank you,” and who demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and belongings.
- Justice. If your child’s actions have hurt another person, make sure that he does more than simply say “I’m sorry.” Teach him to take action to remedy the situation.
- Gratitude. Teaching and exemplifying a spirit of thankfulness provides children with a shield against cultural norms of materialism and entitlement. Even when life is difficult, remind children that there is always something to be grateful for.
- Generosity. Show the importance of sharing with those less fortunate by volunteering or donating to homeless shelters or food pantries. As a bonus, this will teach children to appreciate what they already have and others may not.
- Consideration. Explain your own feelings and those of others in the family so that children can understand the effect that their actions and behaviors have on other people.
- Doing your best. Don’t allow your children to sell themselves short by doing a half-hearted job on anything, whether it’s writing an essay or cleaning their rooms. Remember that anything worth doing is worth doing well.
- Forgiveness. Letting go of hurtful things that other people have done frees us to be happier. Make sure your children don’t hold grudges which keep them from being their happiest selves.
Teaching values can be tricky, but remember that life presents many teachable moments. Use these opportunities, and make sure that you set a good example too. The result will be strong, resilient young adults who can handle life’s struggles…and who others enjoy being around, too.
