Every parent wants their child to grow up with values and integrity. But it feels like the world today is making that harder. Violence, incessant media, and many distractions like the Internet and video games — it seems like raising a child is more difficult. There’s a lot of attention-grabbing things we, as parents, have to compete with. But teaching values is still a priority among parents. Now more than ever, we should teach the right values to our children. Below are some values kids today need to learn.
Filial Love
What could be more important than family values? Family is the most basic unit of society, and it dictates exactly how a child will become. It’s best to explain, especially early on, that nothing and nobody can replace the blood ties. But just as important, it’s to show what the love of a family is. It’s accepting them for who they are while still driving them to be better. It’s spending time with them, be they happy or sad.
Another thing to teach your children is to value how everything begins with the family. Set a routine for you, your spouse, and your kids. Teach them discipline and how it ties all back to filial love. Many virtues begin from filial love, so it’s best to make them feel that.
Respect
Respect is an integral value that we teach children, but be sure to teach universal, undiscriminating respect to everyone, not just the elderly and people of authority. When we teach children to respect everyone regardless of their standing in society or their age, we also teach them to be empathetic.
Be careful not to blur the lines of respect and complacency, though. Sometimes, there can be instances where a person demands respect despite having a bad attitude.
Passion for Learning
Learning doesn’t end in school, and neither does it begin there. Encouraging curiosity and motivating kids to exercise critical thinking are important skills in learning. An individual can be naturally good at a field, like mathematics or the arts, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook other disciplines.
The desire to learn and being able to learn how to learn are two important factors that directly impact a child’s development. If successfully taught to children, they can grow up with more confidence in whatever they embark on, knowing that they can figure out what to do by studying and understanding their situation.
Diligence
If there’s something that needs to be instilled at an early age, that’s diligence. Let your kids know the value of hard work, and let it start at home. Teach them chores, like cleaning and cooking. Take a moment to bring your children over to your kitchen: introduce them to your gas stove, eight-quartz stockpot, and kitchen knives. Clean the house with your children and let them feel how much better it is to live in a clean house.
These matters might sound rather fundamental, but they’re very critical, especially to a growing child. It imparts diligence, not just in their chosen profession, but they will also appreciate the diligence in housework. They’ll grow up to be well-adjusted adults that can live independently, something every parent wants for their child.
Tolerance and Openness
Not everyone shares the same belief, religion, skin color, and culture — and that’s a good thing. The variety and the diversity make for a more interesting Earth we all live in. but for children, the stark differences can be jarring.
That’s why it’s critical to teach tolerance and openness. Just as you love your child, it’s wise to teach them to accept others for who they are, regardless of their culture or background. Love is the universal way we should treat each other, and kids learn that from their parents first.
Self-preservation
Here’s something that might be strange: self-preservation. In a time when there’s an ever-increasing awareness of mental health, it’s also best to understand the concept of self-preservation. It’s adjacent, not against the idea of survival and mental health. It essentially means being able to say no when you have to say no, admitting that something is too much, and knowing what’s best for survival.
Bravery is great, but sometimes, being too brave results in harm. That’s what self-preservation teaches: knowing how to protect and enrich oneself. This includes eating healthy, getting proper exercise, and visiting the doctor. More than anything, knowing how to take care of oneself is important, and that’s what self-preservation is.
We can teach our children more values, but the ones listed here are among the most important. What’s crucial is that our kids learn not to stop learning. And also, to always uphold the values they’ve learned as a child.
