As your child begins to grow up, you want them to learn good morals. You want them to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, know right from wrong, and treat others the way they want to be treated. In order to help your children be the best people they can be, it’s important to help strengthen their moral compass on a day-to-day basis.
1. Be a good example
First thing’s first when it comes to teaching your kids the right morals in life: be a good example for them to follow. It’s no surprise your kids learn everything from you. They learn how to say their first words and how to ride a bike with your lessons. Developing a moral compass is no different.
Your children are going to learn how to be better people by watching you and your spouse interact in your everyday life. Make sure to think before you act and speak in front of your children. They will learn a lot on how to treat people based on what they see from you. Remember, even if you don’t think your kids are watching you, they might be. Be a good model for your children to help them grow.
2. Give back
Teaching your children the importance of giving back to those in need is a great way to instill good morals in them. There are so many families and children struggling around the world and your kids might not be aware of how lucky they really are. To keep your kids grounded and build up their character, make it a point to give back as much as possible. There are plenty of ways that your kids can volunteer no matter their age, so encourage them to spend their time helping people.
Make a donation to your local food bank at the end of each year or donate used clothes to a homeless shelter. If you show your children how to give back, they will feel good helping others and will make it a habit of their own. If they have toys they don’t use anymore or shoes they’ve grown out of, encourage them to donate them to children in need.
3. Make good choices
A crucial part of strengthening your child’s moral compass is to make good choices in your everyday life so that your children know how to make smart decisions on their own. Choosing wholesome Christian entertainment for your family will show your kids the kind of media they should be consuming. Apply parent controls to any household devices so your children are exposed to the kind of content you want for them. Your kids will come to realize what morals they should instill in their lives based on what you expose them to.
4. Show respect
A big aspect of instilling good morals in your children is showing them how to respect those around them. Again, you can be an example for your child based on how you interact with those around you. Show respect to your spouse, your family members, and even strangers. Talk to your child about how to treat others, including their siblings, their parents, and their peers. Make it a point to address how to treat those that might be different from you.
With bullying being such an issue in schools and online, teaching your kids not to bully and what they can do to prevent bullying will help them become kind individuals. Whether it’s a matter of a different skin color, a disability, or a hobby that might be different from what your child is used to, it’s necessary to teach your kids how to respect others no matter what.
Strengthening your kid’s moral compass can be a daunting task to accomplish, but it’s important to point them in the right direction. You’ll be passing the morals you instill in your own life onto your children, and the lessons you teach them about life and about how to treat those around them are going to play a big part in what they value.
Communication is crucial, so be sure to have conversations with your kids on the morals that are important to you and encourage them to grow into the best versions of themselves.