Parents naturally teach their children a range of moral values, to help them differentiate between right and wrong and generally just be a kind, considerate member of society. The earlier you introduce your child to different moral concepts, the sooner they will be able to make their own mind up about how to behave, thus making better choices going forward. If you’re hoping to delve deeper into your child’s moral compass, you will probably benefit from the below advice from an independent school in Surrey.
Of course, you’ll need to be mindful for your own behaviour. You are your child’s biggest role model and by demonstrating how to behave and interact with other people will help them learn how they should behave and interact. Be kind to others and find ways to give back to the community. Avoid swearing and complaining when you’re frustrated and try not to yell. Apologise to your child when you make a mistake so that they learn that saying sorry isn’t only important when you’re in trouble, it’s also important when taking responsibility for something you’ve done wrong. Essentially, you need to practise what you preach.
Talk about feelings so that your child learns to empathise with others. For instance, if they have yelled at you and called you names, explain to them how that made you feel and why they should not do it again. If they are being rude to their friend or sibling and refusing to share, take them to one side and ask them to think about if someone was treating them that way. Encouraging your child to empathise with others will help them understand that they should be respectful with others.
In fact, respect is something else you should discuss with your child. Ask them what they think being respectful means and give them some examples of both respectful and disrespectful behaviour. Respect can refer to how you treat other people, but children should also respect the rules, their home and other belongings. Teach them that if they behave respectfully, other people will be more likely to return the favour to them.
