Values are fundamental beliefs that serve as the basis of our decisions. They condition how we act and what attitude we go through life with, including how much success we will be able to achieve.
“Nobody has values anymore!” You hear things like that a lot in today’s world. According to many, a few generations ago, what was once a family’s pride is now completely forgotten. The values in the home will allow us to build a more peaceful society.
We need to teach our children good family and social values and how to apply them in everyday life from the very beginning. After all, values will determine their personality and the attitude they will have all throughout their adult life.
Some define them as fundamental beliefs that a person’s personality is built upon and that guide the decisions they make and actions they take. Others think of values as qualities that orient a person when they make choices, take on certain activities and not others, and appreciate certain aspects of life.
Values make us behave a certain way in morally challenging situations. When we act out of the principles and values we learned at home, we feel a unique sensation of wholeness and satisfaction.
In fact, we could say that values determine how we act in situations that life puts us in. Each instance is an example we’re giving to our children. So, as parents we must be their biggest role models. It’s almost as simple as that: parenting by example.
Hence the importance of being very careful as to how we respond to things. It’s an essential piece of instilling good values and principles in our children. It’s our responsibility to instill them from the time they’re very young, even if it seems like they don’t understand. After all, most of the time, they understand much more than we think.
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Each family lives in its own little world, with its own rules and behavioral norms. Generally speaking, values are passed from one generation to the other. In other words, you instill values that your parents instilled in you, and you also have your own preferences.
We should mention that a person’s values can also be influenced by their environment, culture, friends, and experiences, among other things.
However, below we’ll list some of the most important values we should instill in our children for them to develop fully and be able to reach their potential.
Thankfulness is a value associated with acknowledging the good that one receives. It also has to do with feeling and expressing gratitude to those who have honored us with their gifts and time. Teaching our children to be thankful sets them on the path to doing good.
Thankfulness can be expressed in all kinds of ways. A smile, a hug, a simple “thank you,” a squeeze of the hand… all can express gratitude.
This value is the basis of all human relationships. Respect involves acknowledging the good in people as well as their independence.
When you respect someone, you accept their right to be and act differently than you. Respect allow us to live together in peace.
Another fundamental value to instill in our children is honesty. It’s a basic value that helps us live in truth. Being honest encourages trust.
Other values stem out of honesty, like integrity, justice, and truth. Try to live with honesty if you want to raise your children in a coherent way.
Teaching your children the value of responsibility will take dedication. Responsibility is intimately related to commitment.
When you fulfill your obligations in the family, workplace, and country, you show your children the importance of this value. Responsibility is also related to accepting the consequences of your actions, among other things.
Generosity is one of the most beautiful things to see in a human being. It’s similar to empathy, being aware of other people’s needs and being willing to help them when needed.
Generous people enjoy sharing. It fills them up.
It’s normal for children, especially the littlest ones, to think that everything is theirs. However, that doesn’t mean they’re selfish; it’s natural. We do need to intervene, though, and correct them so that they grow up to be generous.
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As parents, we need to have humble hearts so that our children will copy us and not grow up feeling like they’re better than everyone else. Teaching them to be humble will help them get to know themselves better, since then they won’t be hesitant to accept their mistakes.
In fact, humility helps people overcome their weaknesses and own their strengths. People who work humbly don’t get a big head. In the pure words of Mother Theresa, “Humility consists of quieting our strengths and letting others discover them.”
This list would be incomplete if we ended without mentioning other fundamental values: peace, love, justice, freedom, tolerance, solidarity, friendship, and goodness. They’re as universal as they are basic for human coexistence.
Each person will prioritize some values over the others, and there are many factors at play here. Still, the important thing is to focus your parenting on instilling them. Only then will we be helping create a successful generation with the morals needed to contribute positively to society.
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