How to Instill Great Family Values into Your Household

It doesn’t matter what kind of school your children attend or the activities they engage in, the proper way to raise children with good old-fashioned family values always begins in the home.

A lot of parents believe that a toddler or preschooler wouldn’t remember any kind of worthy values because they are too young to conceptualize any of it, but child care experts say to begin the teaching early on.

By age 5, kids are able to grasp important life’s lessons that will carry them through adulthood. Here are some parenting tips from child psychologists.

Table of Contents

Telling The Truth

Our kids watch what we do and how we interact and are taking clues from us even when we least expect them to.

If you act honestly, then your children will do the same. Avoid instances like this one, for example.

“Don’t tell Mommy that I bought you a soda and a bag of chips. It’s our secret.” You want your kids to tell the truth, and if you catch them in a lie, help them understand that the truth is important.

Instead of blaming the cat for knocking over the plant, sit down with your child, tell them to take their time and explain what really happened. Telling the truth is not always comfortable, but it is important to be honest.

Respecting Your Elders

Older adults are an important part of the family unit, and children who spend a lot of time with their grandparents and older family friends or relatives develop a unique compassion and respect for their elders.

Grandparents, especially, bring a lot of love and experience to the family table. Kids can learn wisdom, family history, skill sets and develop a wonderful sense of emotional support from older loved ones.

Kids will also come away with insight and character that they, too, can pass onto their own children and grandchildren someday.

Understanding Others’ Feelings

Here’s another value that you can begin teaching your young ones about, and that is that we all have feelings and can feel hurt, happiness, love, anger, frustration, disappointment, etc.

It’s called empathy, and even a toddler can comfort another crying toddler. Teaching kids that being kind can help everyone involved is a proper approach, and telling your son.

for instance, that he was very thoughtful for helping his sister clean her room can help foster similar behavior in the future.

Having A Work Ethic

Parents with a strong work ethic is another area that children will come to understand. They will see how hard their father or mother or both parents work to earn a paycheck.

It is key to instill in young kids that nothing comes easy and that you have to put in the time to receive something in return. Also, when you work hard and earn money, it is a good thing to give to others and to connect with the community you live in.

You can engage your kids to join you for a cause or organization such as reputable car donation charities to see in action how these amazing acts of goodwill work.

Eating Meals Together

It sounds simple enough, but more and more families today, do not make time for a family meal at the table.

That means shutting off our digital devices and coming together as a family unit to enjoy dining, sitting next to one another and sharing our daily experiences.

Eating together helps us to bond with our siblings, parents and others who may share the household. We can build better relationships, feel like part of something important, and eating together can boost our self-esteem.

This togetherness at the dinner table also teaches how to handle the stresses of daily life together.

Studies have also shown that when a family sits down to a meal as a unit, it promotes more sensible eating habits, and family members can manage their weight more easily.

Each family is unique in how they run their household, but every child learns about values that matter by watching how their siblings and parents behave in the family unit and outside with others. Good family values begin in the home and add structure to one’s lifetime.

Author
Recent Posts

Emma

A mother and lover of all things practical. My blog covers about motherhood by exploring all areas of life. Our tips and tricks help the large community to do more in less time so they can spend time enjoying happy, healthy families.