Missing Parents Alert

My husband and I have two girls under five. We work on building character by helping them communicate directly with each other about how they feel about one another during hurtful moments, rather than us intervening. By focusing their attention on how they're feeling and how they are making the other feel, they are learning empathy and caring. They learn responsibility through small chores that all kids can do from the time they are eighteen months. By giving them appropriate activities they can handle we instill a strong sense of accomplishment, without overwhelming them or avoiding giving them any chores due to their age. The goal is to always help them see the impact they can have on the world around them and make positive choices because of that knowledge.

There are many skills we can teach our kids to enhance their character and moral integrity. Mostly, we just have to remember, WE are the parents. They are looking for our guidance and our strength. They do not need friendship from their mom and dad. They need to discover their best selves. The way to do this is to remember our most important job is to be their teachers and counselors and role models in little ways, every day!

For more information on character education for kids visit www.parentingbookmark.com copyright 2001.

For permission to reprint, contact editor@parentingbookmark.com

For more information on Dr. Borba, her books and her work on character education, or to contact her for a speaking engagement visit www.moralintelligence.com

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic