Teaching children values is very important in today's ever changing world. Yesterday's children were brought up in a completely different lifestyle with small communities and close families. Today there are more choices and opportunities to learn and grow but there are also hazards along the way. As a parent you know that without values your children will have fewer good opportunities in life. Here are 5 steps for teaching values to your children.



1. What are your values? Teaching values to our children must start with our selves. This is a very critical step and only you can determine what your values are. You naturally want your children to have integrity and a good character. Your values determine what kind of car your drive, how you spend your time and how you spend your money.

2. Your children will follow your example. Your values will be adopted by your children. This can be good and bad depending on the value. A saying I once heard is, "If you do not like your child doing something then make sure you do not do it yourself." We all must look inward to determine our value system.

3. Ask yourself questions. If you found $1,000 what would you do with it? If you had a day where you could do anything you felt like what would it be? If you could choose to spend your weekend shopping or donating your time to a hotline what would you choose? The way you answer these question reveals some of your values. Are you happy with your answers?

4. Monthly family meeting. This can be over dinner, at a park or in your home. Focus on your children. Ask them how school is going and about their friends. Discuss your values with them and get their opinions.

5. Monthly value. Do not try to instill every value into your children all at once. Each month select a value and focus on it. Why is it important and beneficial? What do your children think about it? Will it lead to making better decisions? Honesty, self-reliance and goal setting may be good values to start with.

Children will develop many values by watching us as parents. You need to make sure that the values they are adopting are ones you approve of. The best way to do this is to first determine what your core values are. After this you can try having a monthly meeting where you and your children can discuss different values.