The Need for Moral Values - Continue with HOW TO TEACH MORAL VALIUES

 Reinforce moral values.

BIBLE PRINCIPLE: "Maintain a good conscience." - 1 PETER 3:16.

* Commend good behavior.   If your child displays good moral values in what he does, praise him for it and explain why.  For example, you could say: "You were honest.  I am proud of you.." If your child confesses to having done something wrong, sincerely commend him for his honesty before you correct him.

* Correct bad behavior.  Help your children accept responsibility for their actions. Children should know what they did wrong and how their conduct deviates from the family's value  system.  Some parents are reluctant to make their child  "feel bad" about misbehavior, but discussing bad behavior with your child this way will help him develop a conscience that is sensitive to right and wrong. 

TRAIN NOW

Children who see their parents display honesty are more likely to resist temptations  to be dishonest when on their own. 

Teach by Example

* Do my children see in my actions and words that I live by the values that our family has adopted?

*   Do my spouse and I promote the same values?

* Do I justify ignoring moral code by saying or thinking.  "This is Ok for adults"? 

WHAT WE DID

"We used the experiences of others to show the benefits of good morals and compared the results they had with those of people who made unwise  decisions.  When our children about a peer who made a poor choice, we discussed it with them so that they would not go down the dame path." Nicole.

 "When our daughter was very young, we would tell her that she had two choices-one good and the other bad-an we outlined the consequences of each.  From this, she learned to make decisions.  It was a vital lesson, since life is all about choices, no matter how old we are."- Yolanda. 

Next time: The Benefits of Self-Control - WHAT IS SELF-CONTROL?

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