Education is not only about learning data and mastering subjects, which is what is learned in schools. Education goes much further. Educating is also teaching limits, improving life skills and abilities, learning to identify emotions and manage them, working on attitudes and learning values.. In this part, parents are responsible for transmitting positive values to our children. Let's see the importance of educating in values and how we can teach them to children.
What are values?
Values guide our behaviors and actions, and our way of interpreting the world around us. They are related to morality and civility, improve coexistence, relationships and life in general. They are a philosophy of life and should be universal to make a better world. Values such as solidarity, kindness, friendship, respect, tolerance, honesty, generosity, care for the environment, equality ... that are transmitted from our earliest childhood.
Educating children in values allows them to be people with appropriate behaviors and behaviors, and that in the future they will be happier and more responsible adults. They will know how to make more appropriate decisions, violence and discrimination are prevented, collaboration among others will improve and they will be more mature. Society and close people influence us a lot but thanks to our values we will have a guide that tells us what is okay and what is not. Must be start very young so that they acquire these values as part of their identity, although not as an imposition but as a way of seeing the world.
How do you educate yourself in values?
Values are something that is learned, they do not come innately. The first thing to do is find out as parents what values do we want to transmit to our children. We must analyze what values we already have and which ones you would like to work on to teach your children. Self-education is very important in this point. Let's see how we can educate in values:
- Through example. The example is one of the stronger ways to teach children. They learn unconsciously based on our behavior, actions, and words. So you will have to be attentive to what messages you are sending, so that be consistent with the values you want to teach. The values you want to teach should reign in your home: solidarity, respect, love, understanding ...
- Through stories. Children enjoy children's stories. It is a way to learn while having fun and what better way than also learning important values. In the article «13 stories with values for children» You have a fantastic compilation of children's stories ideal for this purpose. A story or book is always a good gift
- Do not impose our ideas. We cannot force children to agree to everything we are teaching them. As they grow they have their own opinions and they may not agree with you. The ideal is to dialogue, see the points of view of each one, which has led him to think this way and explain our rationing to him. This way you will be educating him in another fundamental value, respect for others and our differences.
- If you make a mistake, nothing happens. We are not perfect and neither are our children. We can all make mistakes at some point, it is good that they see us apologize and fix our mistakes. Nobody has taught us how to educate and on many occasions we will not do it well. Nothing happens, the important thing is to learn from our mistakes to do much better next time.
- Get him involved in related actions. If, for example, you want him to be more supportive and respectful of his things, you can do that donate as many toys as gifts receive this Christmas or on his birthday for example. OR choose clothes to donate involving other children is important so that they see reality and value their things.
Because remember ... if we educate children in values we will be creating a better world for all of us.