Making your child understand the values and involves a lot of patience while dealing with the kid. Setting values includes right from dressing up, talking, moving socially, table manners, gratitude, appreciating lifestyle and other aspects which complete the personality of the individual. You need to spend time with your child to build these qualities right from their young age to bring them up responsibly.

Nowadays, children learn a lot by observing you. Dictating what the kid should do does not really work. They start disrespecting you if you command them to just obey what you say without questioning. Consider the values you want to impart and show that you follow them. Explain the benefits so that they know the importance of being some way. For example, if you say that your child should be polite and humble, you exhibit those characteristics when you talk to your child. Otherwise, he may confuse as to why he should follow what you say.

Children love to follow their role models. Hence, if you want to be a role model for your child, you should be more a friend to them than to become a terror to them. Spend time with your child on a daily basis. Do not enforce too much discipline on them and allow them to ask questions. Even if you do not know the answer, you can simply tell the child that you would get back to them later rather than discouraging or snubbing them especially in front of others.

Reward them when they behave well but do not make it a habit that only if they receive rewards would they behave properly. Honour what you promise them as children look forward to being with you then.

Spend time during meals with them and try and impart the values during dinner time and bed time when the child is fully attentive to what you say. Values can be taught more by stories and real-life experiences than by preaching. Entertain your child by playing with him and grow along with him. You would understand his world better.

Encourage the child in activities that may or may not interest you. This is because what may sound uninteresting to you may be his passion or talent! Never discourage a child from exploring or following his heart. Do not stop his ambitions or aspirations or constrain their dreams.

Never insult your child in front of family members or relatives. The child may not enjoy being with you or listening to you in that case. In case he commits a mistake, do not punish too harshly and explain why you do not approve such behaviour. Always praise your child in front of others so that he may feel the need to respect what you say.

Never compare your child with some other peer. This may stress him a lot and build the feeling of jealousy in him. Involve him in some decisions in the family and respect his feelings. Take his help in doing household chores. He may feel very important in your life.

Mark Perry

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