The 4 Most Important Values to Pass on to Your Children

2 minutes

It’s very important for children to learn that everything in life takes effort, and that one of the paths to happiness is to learn to appreciate the simple things.

The 4 Most Important Values to Pass on to Your Children

Reviewed and approved by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Written by Valeria Sabater

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Education is one of the most important aspects of being a human being. If you’re a father, mother, grandmother, or teacher, ask yourself: what are the important values you should pass on to the children around you? In today’s article, we’d like to suggest four.

1. Empathy: one of the most important values

important values: girl appreciating the small things

What could be more important than learning how to put yourself in another person’s shoes? This is how you gain a better understanding of yourself and others – building a life based on mutual respect, happiness, and harmony. Understanding that your actions can cause others harm, and being able to avoid doing that, is an exceptional value.

Empathy allows people to form true friendships, respect their partners, and be happy in the future with the other people in their lives. Knowing that other people also experience fear, joy, anxiety, and shame helps improve our society. Understanding that the things we do can hurt others also makes us more respectful towards their emotions. It’s a value that’s well-worth instilling in those around you.

2. Humility

It’s important for children to learn that they’re not better than anyone or anything. They shouldn’t boast, no matter what they have. Humility is one of the most important values because allows us to be happier with ourselves. We learn to appreciate the most simple and basic things, and in the end, these are what’s truly important in life.

Living with a humble attitude will help you have a more realistic view of the things and people around you. So, try not to surround yourself with material wealth or goods. Teach your children that everything in life requires effort, and that the smaller, more immaterial things are the most important.

Read more: The Importance of Being Humble

Practicing humility is an indispensable value that we can often forget when we’re raising children. Will you try it?

3. Commitment, another one of the most important values

Commitment is something that children have to develop over time, but you can encourage it from the time that they’re very young. As they grow, they’ll learn to be responsible for their day-to-day actions and become more mature.

Committing to things helps them become better people, better students, better family members, and better friends… It’s also how you instill strong ties and values in them.

Teach them that there are important things in life that are worth fighting for, and this is why it’s important to be responsible and always try to be better. For example, they need to know that every word they speak has a meaning, both at face value and beneath the surface.

4. The value of self-esteem

Self-esteem is a crucial value that will enhance your child’s life from day one.

Give them support and praise, reinforce what they do well, and provide guidance to help them learn from their mistakes. Encourage exceptional behavior by demonstrating what you want them to do, pushing them to take chances confidently, with the knowledge that failure isn’t a bad thing – with effort, they can achieve anything.

A person with high self-esteem is strong and less likely to harm others because they’re happier with themselves. Children deserve this feeling, and it’s something you can help them cultivate.

Remember that, to instill these core values, you’re the one who has to provide them with the good example. Be consistent, firm, and enthusiastic, and show them great affection.