Family Morals & Ethics

The way you choose to raise your children will impact not only them, but the people around them for the rest of their lives. Giving them a solid foundation of family morals and ethics will set them up to be successful and have positive interactions with the people they encounter in life. Dr. Sears states that raising a moral child means teaching your child to live by the Golden Rule, or treating others the way you want them to treat yourself. There are many ways to do this by choosing the right set of values for your family.

  1. Empathy

    • Teaching your children the value of empathy will give them the moral foundation they need in life. Psychologist Paul Coleman states that children who have a capacity for empathy have more fulfilling relationships and even superior performance in school. You may teach your children empathy by using moments when he expresses emotion to teach him about that emotion, such as saying, "You are upset because your favorite sports team lost the game last night." This will give him a deeper understanding of the way he feels and an appreciation for the feelings of others.

    Honesty

    • Teaching your child honesty is vital if you want her to lead a life of integrity and leadership. Dr. Sears states that you should direct your child by verbally expressing the rightness or wrongness of a particular action. For example, if the cashier gives you too much change at the store, point this out to your child and state, "The cashier gave us too much money. We should return it because it would be wrong to keep it." Leading your child by example will give her the opportunity to witness honesty in action.

    Etiquette

    • Good etiquette is fundamental to a child's social success in life. A parent's ability to teach his child good manners at an early stage in life will send him in the right direction and show him what is important in his interactions with others, according to Sherri Linsenbach. By continuously enforcing proper etiquette, you ensure that it becomes an everyday habit that stays with your child throughout the rest of his life.

    Boundaries

    • Setting boundaries for your children is an effective way to direct their behavior, as the limits you impose on your children are not a punishment. Psychologist and Professor Jim Taylor suggests establishing rules, boundaries and expectations in order to set behavior standards in your household. This will help communicate your values to them, especially if you explain the rationale behind why certain activities are off-limits. If you do not condone violent video games, for example, explaining the reason why to your children will help teach them the values you are trying to emphasize.

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