Instilling Sound Moral Values in Children: A Guide to Teach 10 Essential Values for Kids
Right from an early age, children are taught the following.
That Santa Claus knows if they have been ‘Naughty’, or ‘Nice’!
In that vein, there’s nothing of greater ‘value’, than to inculcate sound ‘values’ in our kids.
It’s true. We all want our children to grow up to be better versions of the people we are.
So that we can hold our heads up high and say, ‘That’s my child!’
To help them become better human beings, teaching good values for kids is a must. All so that they can see the ‘larger picture of existence’, and navigate their way through life with a sense of Integrity.
Looking for how to teach moral values to students? In this blog post, you will find the answer to that question. You will unlock all the good values for students that they need to imbibe in order to become valuable members of society. A society that is itself built on the principles of ‘sound moral values.’
Without further ado, here is a look at the values to inculcate in your child, to help them become every bit the people you wish them to be.
10 Values you should teach your young child
The following are the values for children that they must inculcate, to become the ‘good citizens’ we want them to be.
- Honesty
- Responsibility
- Respect
- Gratitude
- Accountability
- Manners
- Kindness
- Sharing
- Empathy
- Love
There’s little surprise that this one finds itself at the top of the ‘values list.’ When looking at how to teach moral values to children, this is probably the most important.
To do: You have to teach your kids early on that telling the truth is important, even if it makes them feel uncomfortable. Encourage them, by praising them every time they are honest. Especially when telling the truth is ‘hard’ for them!
It’s only a matter of time before your little ones are going to ‘leave the nest’. It only becomes natural, then, to teach them the ropes of becoming independent.
To do: Start by getting them to do little things, like making their bed every morning. In time, this can extend to their performing more chores.
Note: The idea is to get them to feel they are making an invaluable contribution to the family.
This one is something your little one will have to keep visiting, time and again.
To do: This is one value that is best demonstrated by your own actions. If you talk to your spouse with a sense of respect, your child will absorb that like a sponge! Later on, they can be exposed to the more nuanced aspects of respect. Like ‘respecting’ the opinions of others!
We live in a consumerist culture. One that lays a great emphasis on always striving for ‘more’. That is why we need to teach our kids this value, more than ever.
To do: Teach your children to be happy with the things they have, rather than getting them every single thing they want. When they develop this value of ‘gratitude’, they actually grow up to be happier individuals.
Right from a young age, children need to be taught that they must be held accountable for their actions. When teaching good values for students, this one’s right up on the list of the best.
To do: You have to be especially vigilant, when your child starts attending school. This is the first time they will have to start taking ownership of their actions, without their ‘parents’ guiding the way.
One of the first things that people notice about others is their manners.
To do: Children must be taught to interact with people around them, with a sense of consideration. Modeling manners in front of your child is perhaps the best way to get them to inculcate good manners. To that effect, ensure that you always use the magic words ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’, when talking with them.
One of the best values to inculcate in your children is that of kindness. There is nothing quite as important as being nice to people.
To do: The real trick lies in getting children out of the ‘Tit for Tat’ mode of thinking. They must learn to be nice to others, irrespective of the way they are treated by them. That will help them establish harmonious relationships, with one and all.
Again, this one’s a value that kids will learn, only when they observe it up close.
To do: You must have your children experience that unbridled sense of happiness, when they share things with others. For instance, they might share their toys with other kids. Or perhaps their lunch in their tiffin boxes! The idea is showing them that doing things with others is far more rewarding than keeping everything to themselves.
Contrary to what some people might believe, Empathy is a value that can be ‘learned.’ Every child must harness the ability to connect with the feelings of others.
To do: Playtime naturally offers a lot of opportunities for kids to absorb a sense of empathy. If they have mistakenly hurt another child, help them see how that child feels. In later years, this value will help them understand the perspective of others, and manage conflicts better.
Last but not the least, this is one value you cannot cultivate enough of!
To do: Tell your children each day, how much you love them. Perhaps the most important thing you can teach your kids is to love others for the people they are. Unconditionally, without expectations of any kind. That they must love others, in spite of any differences they might have with them.
At EuroKids, we do everything in our personal capacity, to instill sound moral values in the children who parents entrust to us. We encourage you to start teaching your child the values outlined in this article, from their early years. To help them become the good human beings we earnestly crave them to be.