Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on instilling character in kids. Every parent wants to raise a kid with strong character. However, instilling character in kids can be an uphill task fraught with challenges and frustrations. If you have no idea on how to make your kids more honest, responsible, or kind, I have a few tips for you.
Instilling Character in Kids Tips
Be a Role Model
It is a well-known fact that kids learn more by what they see than by what they hear. This is why you must model the behavior you wish your child to acquire. If you want your child to be more generous, you must be generous yourself. Telling your kids to be generous then refusing to share something with others will send confusing messages to them. Additionally, they will most likely do what comes easiest to them, which is being selfish.
Another advantage of practicing what you preach is that it gives you the authority to correct misbehavior. If your kids view you as a kind person, they will likely follow your instructions to be kind to others. They will also be more accepting of the punishment that flows from their unkindness.
Take Advantage of Teachable Moments
You also need to learn how to take advantage of certain situations to instill character lessons to your kids. Often, this will be when the child misbehaves or inquires about an issue. For example, a child who lies about eating all the cookies can be taught honesty from that one misdeed.
In the same breath, you should try to discipline your kids appropriately. Punishment should not be given for its own sake. Teach them that unpleasant consequences follow misbehavior and that punishment comes from a place of love. Also, try to ensure that punishment aims at amending a wrong.
Positive Reinforcement
As parents, criticizing the wrong that kids do is almost automatic. Unfortunately, it can be counterproductive if you are trying to instill good behavior in your children. This is because children tend to repeat the actions that catch their parents’ attention, whether negative or positive. If you are always yelling at kids for misbehaving, they will continue misbehaving to catch your attention.
The smart thing to do is to notice when your kids do right. Saying something as simple as, “Ethan, I noticed you organized your room today,” is enough to get your child to keep his room organized.
It would be best if you also watched how you point out misbehavior from your child. Avoid using words like always or never. For instance, don’t say, “Joan, you never share your toys with your sister” or “Tony, you are always mean to other kids.” If you do, your kids will internalize this message and develop a negative self-image, which is fatal to good character development.
Another tip to encourage positive behavior is to show your faith in your child’s potential for doing good. Show them that you trust them to do the right thing, and they most likely will do just what you want them to do.
It’s imperative that you consistently work to instill character in your children. While you’re working on rewarding positive behavior in your older kids, reward your infant with one of the best baby swings on the market. Soothing them in one of these beautiful and functionable swings will free up time so you can get creative with your rewards.
Lean on Literature
Another way you can instill positive life lessons in your kids is to read children stories that illustrate the benefits of doing right. You can also tell them real-life stories where virtue triumphed over vice. This will impress on them that doing the correct thing is beneficial.
Control Their Consumption of Media
Children today learn quite a lot from the media. Therefore, your role as a parent is to ensure that they are exposed to the kind of media that emphasizes the values you want them to acquire. It would be best if you also tried to limit their exposure to negative media.
Admittedly, controlling your kid’s consumption of media is easier said than done. Your job as a parent is to not be your child’s friend, but be friendly. Share an interest in who they are and what interests them. Discuss world events and what’s happening in your local area. Eventually, they will trust you enough to let you into a part of their world. This will give you a chance to influence them positively and put the things they learn from the media in perspective.
Give Them a Chance to Practice What They Learn
Finally, allow your children to practice the virtues you teach them. Provide opportunities for your kids to get involved in volunteer work. They can volunteer at an animal shelter. Or, have them volunteer at a local soup kitchen to instill selflessness and care. Furthermore, you can ask them to donate some of their money to a local charity to teach them generosity.
As parents, instilling good character in your kids is a sacred duty. Although it might be hard, it is also gratifying. Start practicing the tips shared in this blog post, and you will find it much easier to mold your kids into the adults you want them to become.
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