Proven Tips To Raise Morally Aware Children
As a parent, providing for your child’s needs is a top priority. Think beyond looking after them, paying for their education, and helping them with their choice of career. Imbibing moral values in your kid is equally crucial because it helps them lead a happy life personally and earn respect professionally. Values like honesty, integrity, compassion, empathy, and courage are more like life skills that let children navigate the many challenges as they grow up. But there is no magic bullet to foster these values in your child, and you may find the mission overwhelming. Let us share some proven tips to raise morally aware children.
Be a role model
Being a good role model yourself is the first step to cultivating strong moral values in your kids. Children learn by example, and parents are the best people to set an example. If you want your child to be compassionate, honest, and responsible, imbibe these qualities in your life first. Let your kids see you helping a neighbor, returning money you have not earned, and completing your tasks on time. They will follow you organically!
Talk about moral values
Conversations regarding moral values should be a part of your daily life. Use age-appropriate language to teach the lessons of positivity. For example, you can narrate stories from the Bible to a young child. Open conversations make a better option for older children as they can listen to your views and share their opinions. Think beyond narratives, and pick real-life examples to show the significance of being good.
Emphasize the power of prayer
Prayer is the cornerstone of moral values as it connects one to God and fosters faith and trust in the divine. Establish a daily prayer ritual for the family at the dining table and before sending the kids off to bed. Share the teachings of Wyoming Carmelites as they lead a life of solitary prayer and service. Make church visits a weekly routine so that your kids get the feel of community worship.
Teach them to draw boundaries
Raising morally aware children is not only about encouraging them to imbibe moral values. It is also about teaching them to draw boundaries so that they can steer clear of wrong actions and patterns. Your kids may have good values, but they may also have bad ones if they do not understand the significance of drawing the line. You need not stop them every time they go in the wrong direction. Just offer subtle guidance and let them learn from their mistakes.
Use teachable moments
Cultivating strong values in your child is not about making them learn by heart. You can use teachable moments to your advantage. But remember that they happen unexpectedly, so you must learn to recognize them and use them to your advantage. Look for moral issues as they come up and discuss them organically. For example, you may talk about an incident at school or in the community.
Raising morally aware children need not be a parenting challenge. Consider it a part of upbringing and lead by example to make the lessons easy to imbibe.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
