Honesty is an important quality for any person that should be instilled in children from childhood. Fostering moral values in children is a key aspect that has a fundamental impact on their future. The task of every parent is to teach the child to be honest with himself and others, to distinguish between good and evil, and follow the inner “compass” even in situations where no one controls him.
Why is it so important to be honest?
An honest person is a good friend and a respected person in society. Honesty helps build trust, fosters a sense of responsibility and improves self-esteem.
An honest child: how to instill moral values in children
Children don't always understand that it's important to always act honestly. But you can inspire them to do the right thing. And we should start with... ourselves. When a child sees that his parents are guided by high moral values when making decisions, he is more likely to “tune” his inner compass on the right track. What else can be done to instill honesty in children?
Here are 8 top tips from experts!
#1 Let the child speak
Don't suppress the child's thoughts and feelings. In every situation, let him say whatever he thinks. This will help him assert his values and beliefs, and you will gently direct him in the right direction.
#2 Share your experience
Tell your children about situations when you were faced with a moral choice and what you did then. Ask your child what decision he would make in such a case. Discuss the options and consequences of each potential choice. This will help the child in the future to have certain guidelines and make the right decisions at different points in life.
#3 Do trust exercises
When you're out in the park with the kids and their friends, encourage them to do some trust exercises. For example, one person stands in the middle with their eyes closed, while the others form a “support” circle. The person in the circle begins to fall back, and the task of the other participants is to put their hands forward and do everything to prevent him from falling. This exercise develops trust on the one hand and responsibility on the other.
#4 Praise your child for being honest
Honesty is not easy for all children, so if you notice that a child may have deceived but chose to tell the truth, praise him. Regular praise forms the right pattern in a child's head, and honesty is gradually becoming a natural manifestation of a child's character.
#5 Encourage kids to fulfill obligations
If you have a pet, let your child take part of the responsibility for caring for it. For example, he can feed him or go for a walk with him every morning. This will help your child understand how important it is to be reliable and keep promises. Encourage children to be honest when they forget to do something. This will help them learn to take responsibility for their mistakes and not be afraid to correct them.
#6 Encourage your child to draw honesty
A creative understanding of the system of moral values is a great opportunity to fully understand their significance. Ask your child to draw a portrait of honesty, write a short story about it, or make a collage using pictures from old magazines. Discuss the details of the portrait, picture, or text, and ask your child leading questions so that he can express his opinion about the images he has created.
#7 Read books and watch movies about honesty
We unconsciously compare ourselves to the main characters in books and movies, so reading or watching stories about how a character acted in different life situations will be extremely useful for a child. Be sure to discuss the characters' behavior and ask the children what they would do if they were in their place.
#8 Play “What If?”
Most children don't yet have a lot of life experience and don't have enough situations where they can be honest. Dream with your child, imagining that you are living a particular scenario. Starting questions with “What if?” , give your baby food to think about what he would do in certain circumstances.
By instilling moral values in children, we do a lot for their happy future. Do you want him to learn other useful life skills that they don't teach at school? Write it down to free trial lesson to Progkids right now!
