Character Building
I was chatting with a mummy blogger about raising kids. Her concern was to start charcter building in her child ASAP. So how do you do that for a very young child? How do you instill moral values and God's teaching? Honestly I don't know the right way to start... I guess you do it by example? Try explaining to the child?
Teaching a child to be virtuous proofs to be harder and more challenging in our time when children are constantly bombarded with outlandish promises from advertisers and television programming and films filled with lying, violence and sex as entertainment. As a parent I felt weary as to how I am going to help my child to develop virtuous such as respect for themselves and others, honesty and humility just to name a few.
I believe by just being virtuous ourselves and hope the children will learn by example is not sufficient. They also need encouragement, praise and character feedback.
I remembered reading somewhere that one of the basic behavioral principle is this: Children will repeat actions that get them attention from their parents. We need to constantly encourage our children with words or showing faith in their positive potential.
I think it's quite natural for us parents to give negative character feedback. We tend to tell our children things like "Why are you so naughty?" or "Why are you so mean?". If we repeatedly focus on the negative, our children will soon believe us!!
I found this to be pretty good:
52 Character building Thoughts for Children - Leah Davies
1. How I look is not as important as how I act.
2. I treat others the way I want them to treat me.
3. I am a good sport; I follow the rules, take turns and play fair.
4. It is okay to laugh at funny things, but not to laugh at others.
5. I do not gossip; if I cannot say anything helpful, I do not say anything at all.
6. When I am sad, I help myself feel better by thinking of things that are good in my life.
7. In orde to have friends, I must act in a kind way.
8. I believe that I am someone who can do important things.
9. What I say and how I say it tells others the kind of person I am.
10. I appreciate my family, my teachers, and my school.
11. I treat everyone with respect.
12. When I listen, I show others that I care about them.
13. I am being a good citizen when I volunteer to help others.
14. I think for myself and make smart hoices that are good for me.
15. Each day offers a new stat to do my best.
16. I try to understand what my friends are feeling.
17. Everyone makes mistakes, so instead of getting angry with myself, I try to do better.
18. I do not give up; I keep trying until I can do my work.
19. Sharing with others makes me feel good and makes them feel good too.
20. I work out my problems without hurting myself or others.
21. I am being polite when I wait for my turn and say please and thank you.
22. When I smile at people, they usually smile back.
23. I encourage my friends to do their best.
24. My values guide me to do what is right.
25. I am honest; I do not cheat or steal.
26. When I am angry, I use self-control and do not hurt others.
27. I am being creative when I dance, draw, paint or write a poem or story.
28. I say, "No!" to things that could hurt my body like tobacco and alcohol.
29. When I do what I say I will do, I am being responsible.
30. I am grateful for what I have, so I share with others.
31. I try to learn something new each day.
32. When things do not go my way, I stop and think of what I can do to make them better.
33. I do not make fun of other children because I don't know what their life is like.
34. I feel successful when I do my best.
35. Everyone has good and bad feelings.
36. I take care of myself by eating healthy food, exercising and getting enough rest.
37. I am being punctual when I am on time and do not keep people waiting.
38. When I cooperate with others, I get more done.
39. I follow the rules and try to make my school a better place.
40. I like to get to know children who are different from me.
41. Since I tell the truth, my friends trust me.
42. I look for what is good in others and I way what I like about them.
43. I buy only what I need and I save my money.
44. When I use my time wisely, there is usually enough time to do what I want to do.
45. I think before I act; how I act affects how others treat me.
46. Using manners helps me keep my friends.
47. I have courage to stand up for hildren who are teased.
48. Before I do something, I ask myself, "Is it safe?"
49. I am me - I do not try to be like someone else.
50. I care about living things on earth so I recycle and do not litter.
51. When I write down what I think and feel, I learn about myself.
52. I plan ahead and think about what I want to do when I grow up.
Another thing I want to add to the above:
There is a God who loves me dearly and I can always pray and talk to him anytime anywhere.
I was chatting with a mummy blogger about raising kids. Her concern was to start charcter building in her child ASAP. So how do you do that for a very young child? How do you instill moral values and God's teaching? Honestly I don't know the right way to start... I guess you do it by example? Try explaining to the child?
Teaching a child to be virtuous proofs to be harder and more challenging in our time when children are constantly bombarded with outlandish promises from advertisers and television programming and films filled with lying, violence and sex as entertainment. As a parent I felt weary as to how I am going to help my child to develop virtuous such as respect for themselves and others, honesty and humility just to name a few.
I believe by just being virtuous ourselves and hope the children will learn by example is not sufficient. They also need encouragement, praise and character feedback.
I remembered reading somewhere that one of the basic behavioral principle is this: Children will repeat actions that get them attention from their parents. We need to constantly encourage our children with words or showing faith in their positive potential.
I think it's quite natural for us parents to give negative character feedback. We tend to tell our children things like "Why are you so naughty?" or "Why are you so mean?". If we repeatedly focus on the negative, our children will soon believe us!!
I found this to be pretty good:
52 Character building Thoughts for Children - Leah Davies
1. How I look is not as important as how I act.
2. I treat others the way I want them to treat me.
3. I am a good sport; I follow the rules, take turns and play fair.
4. It is okay to laugh at funny things, but not to laugh at others.
5. I do not gossip; if I cannot say anything helpful, I do not say anything at all.
6. When I am sad, I help myself feel better by thinking of things that are good in my life.
7. In orde to have friends, I must act in a kind way.
8. I believe that I am someone who can do important things.
9. What I say and how I say it tells others the kind of person I am.
10. I appreciate my family, my teachers, and my school.
11. I treat everyone with respect.
12. When I listen, I show others that I care about them.
13. I am being a good citizen when I volunteer to help others.
14. I think for myself and make smart hoices that are good for me.
15. Each day offers a new stat to do my best.
16. I try to understand what my friends are feeling.
17. Everyone makes mistakes, so instead of getting angry with myself, I try to do better.
18. I do not give up; I keep trying until I can do my work.
19. Sharing with others makes me feel good and makes them feel good too.
20. I work out my problems without hurting myself or others.
21. I am being polite when I wait for my turn and say please and thank you.
22. When I smile at people, they usually smile back.
23. I encourage my friends to do their best.
24. My values guide me to do what is right.
25. I am honest; I do not cheat or steal.
26. When I am angry, I use self-control and do not hurt others.
27. I am being creative when I dance, draw, paint or write a poem or story.
28. I say, "No!" to things that could hurt my body like tobacco and alcohol.
29. When I do what I say I will do, I am being responsible.
30. I am grateful for what I have, so I share with others.
31. I try to learn something new each day.
32. When things do not go my way, I stop and think of what I can do to make them better.
33. I do not make fun of other children because I don't know what their life is like.
34. I feel successful when I do my best.
35. Everyone has good and bad feelings.
36. I take care of myself by eating healthy food, exercising and getting enough rest.
37. I am being punctual when I am on time and do not keep people waiting.
38. When I cooperate with others, I get more done.
39. I follow the rules and try to make my school a better place.
40. I like to get to know children who are different from me.
41. Since I tell the truth, my friends trust me.
42. I look for what is good in others and I way what I like about them.
43. I buy only what I need and I save my money.
44. When I use my time wisely, there is usually enough time to do what I want to do.
45. I think before I act; how I act affects how others treat me.
46. Using manners helps me keep my friends.
47. I have courage to stand up for hildren who are teased.
48. Before I do something, I ask myself, "Is it safe?"
49. I am me - I do not try to be like someone else.
50. I care about living things on earth so I recycle and do not litter.
51. When I write down what I think and feel, I learn about myself.
52. I plan ahead and think about what I want to do when I grow up.
Another thing I want to add to the above:
There is a God who loves me dearly and I can always pray and talk to him anytime anywhere.
4 comments:
I agree that it is quite challenging to teach a child. Sometimes I wondered if I have done enough or have I not do what I am supposed to do. I want to teach my child this and that but I often question myself if I practicing what I preached? But in teaching my child, I am also re-learning and at the same time reminding myself of godly principals that I seemed to have 'forgotten' to obey...
I know...it's amazing how those wonderful kids that always seems to be so perfect..so virtuous... I am constantly learning with my kid..and as I teach my kid or any other kids... I am also relearning.
Sometimes it takes a kid's ever so innocent comments or actions to remind us to be virtuous!!
That's a really long list to digest, ingrain and carry out for the Mummy!!
Pray is what I do most. Somehow, I think for all the things we do, we can only do so much. Once they are out there, their choice of friends and the things tat tempt different child, we have no safety guards over those, but prayers.
Moomykin,
That's right..we can only do so much. :) and prayer is the key. Let's just hope our kids will do ok in this complicated world!
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