Teach kids three fundamental characteristics of integrity and you’ll inoculate them from many problems that cripple and plague many people. These three essential traits of morality are best taught by example; not lip service. We can talk to our kids all day long, but if we’re doing the exact opposite of what we say, we’re living a lie, and they’ll know it.
A way to make the lessons even more influential is to surround them with people who show the qualities listed below— schools, church and childcare providers come to mind. It’s paramount to expose kids to positive people early in life when we can control their environment. As they get older, we will have less control. These experiences help children build a strong foundation. Teach children the following qualities and they will thank you later.
- HonestyÂ
Being truthful is vital. If you tell the truth, it’s not hard to remember what you said. The old saying is true; one lie always leads to another lie to cover for the first one. You need to present the facts as they are, to the best of your knowledge and not purposefully leave out things or tell half-truths. It also means playing by the rules and not cheating.
- Respect
People must respect each other for society to work. We may not always agree with what another person thinks, but everyone has a right to his own opinion as long as it doesn’t interfere with someone else. We can’t force someone to come around to our way of thinking. God loves us all and doesn’t play favorites. Men have fought wars, exploited and tried to murder whole races of people because they thought they were God’s favorite. It would take several books to talk about that subject, and it’s not the purpose of this blog, so I’ll move on. If I can get my kids to remember “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” then I will have been successful. We must accept others beliefs and differences without prejudice and judge them only on their character.
- ResponsibilityÂ
As you go through life, you will have many choices. We are not perfect, and sometimes we make a wrong decision. It is much easier for a ship to get back on course if the Captain admits he’s going in the wrong direction. Someone once said, “it doesn’t do any good to row harder  if the boat is going in the wrong direction.”  We must take responsibility for our decisions and be accountable for them. We should never, ever blame others for our mistakes. Blaming others and dodging responsibility when things don’t go as planned is a major character flaw. A responsible person is not a victim, and they always do their best.
Okay, there you have it,  this short list of simple qualities will go a long way towards helping your kids live a comfortable life. I want to teach my children how to keep confusion to a minimum in their lives. If they follow the principles talked about above they’ll have a huge headstart.  So far the kids are doing good and are on the right track. See you next time!
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