Young minds are like clean slates as you can write anything on them. As a parent, you must take the opportunity to imbibe strong values in your children from an early age. But teaching the lessons of honesty, integrity, and faith to a toddler sounds daunting. Surprisingly, you can begin at this early age and continue their education until they grow up enough to be on their own. A little effort and some creativity are enough to raise a value-driven child. Let us share the best parenting advice to teach values to your kids.

Make the lessons relevant

Values tend to be theoretical until they are relevant to a child. The relevance here is synonymous with age-appropriateness. Even young kids have to make tough decisions. For example, an 8-year-old may need to choose between a party invitation and helping a friend with homework. A 14-year-old may let other kids cheat on their test only to fit into the peer group at school. Handling these decisions enables children to develop values. Encourage the child to discuss such challenges and support them in conscious decisions.

Encourage empathy

Empathy is the cornerstone of compassion, which forms the foundation of values. As a parent, you must do your bit to encourage empathic behavior in your children. They will not learn it by being told to feel it. You must show it by action, treating them empathically so that they understand the significance of compassion. Also, be kind and compassionate to others to deliver a subtle lesson to the little ones.

Strengthen faith

Strong faith contributes to a value-driven upbringing. You can cultivate faith in the family by making prayer and gratitude a part of daily life. Highlight the teachings of Carmelite Monks of Wyoming to explain the significance of praying every day. Read the Bible, narrate religious stories, and take the child to church every week. Strengthening faith is about creating a system for the entire family to ensure they believe in God, thank Him, and trust His Word.

Model values

Kids often follow their parents in words, actions, and behavior. Modeling values should be a part of your value-building initiatives. Be aware of what you do and say every day because even toddlers notice and imbibe the same traits as elders. If you respect your partner, your kids will learn to respect others. If you lie about their age to get discounts at the amusement park, they may pick cheating as a trait. Be aware of things you do because you are the first teacher your children learn from. 

Talk explicitly about values

As your kids grow up, you must have explicit conversations about values at home. Talk about helping others, serving the community, and being respectful to everyone. Explain your morals and why they are important to you. Also, talk about prioritizing values while making everyday decisions. The child will learn to interpret the world and make the right choices as they face tough decisions ahead.

Remember that teaching values to kids is not about lecturing. It requires showing by action and encouraging kids to be good. Pick the right mindset early to raise a strong, morally-upright person.