5 Values Every Child Should Learn
1. Respect
Respect is the most important value to learn and to respect yourself first is the greatest lesson to teach any child. Teach respect by showing respect. Teach
your child to respect himself. If you have respect for yourself, respect for your family and your friends should come easily. Respect your body. Make sure you
always look neat and clean and take care of yourself. Teach your child never to forget to show respect to all living things on earth: animals, insects, plants, and trees which and all of nature surrounding us. Teach honesty. Show love and acceptance and discipline with love. Expect respect. Don’t tolerate your children being disrespectful to one another. Your children should learn to respect their siblings, family members and school mates. Always praise respect.
2. Show gratitude and say thank you
Babies and toddlers are fascinated by sights, sounds and smells, from the colours of flowers to ringing bells to the smell of something baking in the oven.
The older we get, the more oblivious we become to the everyday sensory pleasures of the world we live in. When we pause to enjoy them, we regain the openness that is an essential part of gratitude. Make sure your child doesn’t spend so much time with electronic entertainment that he or she misses out on the tactile joys of flowers, plants, crayons, paint, music, and dancing. Have regular time for thank-you prayers, at snack time or dinner time and at bedtime. Say thanks for small things and for all the members in your family. Young children are naturally thankful, according to Montessori teacher Sofia Cavalletti. She writes “The prayer of children up to the age of seven or eight is almost exclusively prayer of thanksgiving and praise.” Say thank you as many times as you have the opportunity to. I strongly believe this could really change the world.
3. Listen
Show your child that you are listening by maintaining eye contact, asking follow-up questions and taking an interest in her stories. Use games and playful language to teach your child to listen. Play games such as “Simon Says” with the whole family . Telling a story as a family is a great way to practice active listening skills. Sit around the table and have each person say one sentence that builds upon the one before it. It forces kids to listen to what was said, think about something that relates to it and add to the story. Teach your child to look a person in the eyes when they talk and to listen carefully to what they are saying. Teach them to listen to silence.
4. Be Yourself
Encourage your child to express feelings. Children should be taught from a young age that their feelings are important and valued. There is opportunity every day for a child to make their own decisions, for example, let them choose their own outfit. Don’t copy others, don’t blindly follow. Never be afraid to ask, raise questions, even the ones you may qualify as “stupid” ones.
5. Be Happy
You are a true miracle. You came into this life a perfect human being. You are important. You are beautiful. There is no one else quite like you. Happiness is always there in your mind.