The example is the best tool that parents have to transmit knowledge to our children. We are their main reference and they will try to imitate us in everything, including our ethical values. That is why today we want to focus on examples to educate children in ethical values within the family nucleus.
The family not only provides the most basic needs (food, shelter and sustenance), but also satisfies the emotional and psychological needs so that children can develop correctly. And raising a child is not always easy, as they do not come with an instruction book and we can make mistakes by following inherited patterns. That is why we have to stop along the way, analyze and observe what kind of education we are giving our children and if it corresponds to what we want to give them. It is about stopping behaving automatically and without thinking, to make us aware that our actions have consequences and more in front of our children. Much of their emotional health will be influenced by what children have seen and experienced from a very young age.
Values are those moral principles that guide our conduct. According to the values that we have, we will behave like this, and they will help us to resolve conflicts and face life. That is why it is so important to have values in life that help us know what is correct and what is not.
It is important that you know what ethical values you want to give your children so that they are the ones that predominate in your life so that you can show them to them as well. Once we have selected them it is time to teach the children their value. There is no better way to learn than through the example of the people closest to us. Let's see some examples to educate children in ethical values.
Examples to educate children in ethical values
- As we have already seen, the first thing we must do is Identify what values we want to instill in our children. It is about friendship, respect, generosity, education, tolerance, love of nature, humility, gratitude, ... It is up to you to decide which ones you consider most important for your child to have in this world.
- Once you have them think, Do I act accordingly with this value? For example, you still want your son to be sincere, but then he hears you constantly lie. The message you are giving them is totally contradictory and what they see will always prevail more than what they hear. So if you want your son to be sincere, you must start with yourself and apply it in your life.
- Ask them if they understand. Explaining values to children is not always easy. They are very general concepts that can create some doubts. The best thing in these cases is to ask them if they have any questions in order to clarify them. To know if they have understood you can put examples of situations for children to choose one behavior or another. In this way they will learn to differentiate between the behaviors and know which is the correct one.
- Don't force them to act in a certain way. Because then they would not be values, they would be rules. Values must be internalized and adapted, assuming that it is the best for oneself and for others. We cannot force them because it would be counterproductive. Children must make their own decisions and make mistakes if necessary. We can't prevent them from making mistakes in life, but we can help them get up when they do.
- Give them examples. Surely in the day to day you can think of many examples where those values that you have chosen could be put into motion. Or quite the opposite, you may see situations where those values are passed over. Tell them so that you can normalize it and better understand its meaning. That you understand its importance and its value.
Because remember ... what children see at home will be their reference in life.