Whenever I come across situations of workplace civility, I can’t help but wonder whether the individuals involved were given lessons in morality early in life. If they were taught to value kindness, consideration and honesty, would we be in a situation of such extreme conflict today?
These days, it seems that morality has been given a bad rap. Say the word and you may initially believe morality is necessary and good, but when applied to the practical aspects of day-to-day life, thoughts of being controlled and forced to conform to strict rules come to mind. As a result, people wander away from morality, convincing themselves it will be “just this one time” and “it’s for a good reason.”
But morality is a behavior that must be consistently practiced. In a world where negativity is rampant, morality is a vital tool for success. Even more, morality is a gift parents and mentors can give to children to ensure a positive future. Raising children who are kind, considerate, and honest is a tremendously rewarding experience for any parent, and it reaps immeasurable benefits for a child as well.
Morality isn’t a class taught in schools. It’s a subject taught by experiences and role modeling. Parents, educators, mentors and anyone else who interacts with a child can teach morality. Here are some ideas to put into practice:
- Start early. It’s never too early to model moral behavior. Even before children can articulate what they are seeing or feeling with words, they are learning from their environment. Allow children to enjoy the innocence of childhood, but also seek opportunities to teach appropriate values.
- Lead by example. For a child, the world is a stage and they intimately experience what happens on that stage by mimicking the behavior they see. When a driver cuts you off on the highway, do you explode with an explicative and wave an angry fist? The child in the backseat is watching, and learning. Be conscious of your actions and the unspoken lesson your are teaching.
- Communicate values consistently. Every family exhibits what they value most through their actions. Take your actions one step further and articulate your values with words — written or spoken. As a child, my husband loved to read stories about Abraham Lincoln and Jesse Owens, men who exhibited high moral character: courage, honesty, compassion and more. His parents affirmed what he read by speaking life-giving words into him throughout his childhood.
- Be aware of outside influences. It would be unhealthy to shield children from the realities of the world. They will run into negative experiences and people. It’s your job to know what your kids are watching on TV and who they are interacting with at school. Get to know the adults in their lives — from teachers to coaches. Everyone and everything is an influence.
- Be there for your child. The world is distracting and there is much to do. But don’t allow the busyness of life to create a barrier between you and your child. Stay connected and always nurture the parent-child bond. Teaching morality isn’t always easy. There will be moments when the relationship with your child will be challenged by a moral dilemma. Having a strong bond will help ease the challenge and reinforce the lessons you want to teach.
I’m sure there are many more ways lessons in morality can be weaved into your interactions with a child. Let’s talk about it.
How have you taught (or been taught) morality?
