We want to be practical with children. That means that we give specific instructions about what we want them to do, not just what they shouldn't do. One way to be practical as we help children develop character is to use working definitions. We use these a lot in our counseling to help children understand life more. Here are some examples, but you can be creative and think of many more.
Obedience is doing what someone says, right away, without being reminded.
Honor is treating people as special, doing more than what's expected, and having a good attitude.
Perseverance is hanging in there even after you feel like quitting.
Attentiveness is showing people you love them by looking at them when they say their words.
Patience is waiting with a happy heart.
Self-discipline is putting off present rewards for future benefits.
Gratefulness is being thankful for the things I have instead of grumbling about the things I don't have.
You don't have to use them all. Just choose the one that your child needs right now and teach how to put that character quality into practice. Put definitions up around the house. This is a very positive way to give kids a vision for what you want.
These are such great principles; I'm going to print them off and put them on my fridge.
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1 comment:
These are really good. Since LC is still just teetering on the edge of being four, we've found a, effective tool is to use examples from his movies and books. We (nearly) always watch things with him, and will talk him through the things the characters are experiencing.
Examples:
Abu is naughty in Alladin when he grabbed the forbidden ruby, and that's why the mountain got angry and turned to fire (disobedience).
Thomas the train speaks rudely to Gordon, and so gets punished by the railway manager (unacceptable interaction with others).
The list can go on, but you get the idea. He can grasp the concepts more easily because he's seen the principles in action, rather than words that are still somewhat abstract for his brain at this age.
Just shows we parents have to keep one step ahead of the game, and constantly change our tactics. This is not a job for the weak! :-)
xoxoxoxoxo
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