Teaching Positive Values in the Early Years
Children can begin to learn about positive values from a young age by observing the adults around them. Role modelling good values and engaging children in meaningful conversation can support children’s early spiritual and moral development. Role modelling consistently for children can be challenging for adults, but often its these challenges that are great to discuss with your child teaching them that its okay to acknowledge mistakes and we can always strive to improve.
The following values are important to start teaching in early childhood:
Empathy and Respect
Values such as empathy and respect help the child understand and relate to what others think and feel. These values will support your child’s ability to develop and maintain strong relationships throughout life.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution can be modelled from preschool age. Children can start to analyse situations and have the ability to discuss and negotiate. Once taught the skills of listening and understanding others perspectives, as well as negotiating solutions, children can begin to resolve a range of conflicts that may occur independently.
Honesty
Honesty helps children to become trustworthy. It is through honesty that children learn the importance of telling the truth and how this can build trust which is vital to any relationship.
Kindness
Kindness instils a sense of caring in a child by showing concern to others. Kindness can support a child’s overall wellbeing and social development as others tend to gravitate towards those who and kind and caring.
Fairness
Understanding fairness can support children’s insight into equality and equity and supports them developing empathy for others and practicing fair decision making based on their empathy.
Determination and Perseverance
Teaching children to not give up and continue trying can be explored from a young age. Teaching children that mistakes and failures can lead to greatness when we can learn from them and continue working towards a goal.
Responsibility
Responsibility is a value that allows children to have ownership and commitment to a task. By being responsible they can learn to be dependable characters which is a valued characteristic.
Accountability
Accountability is a way for children to learn about consequences and expectations. To be held accountable for actions and choices will teach children good decision making and a sense of ownership of choices.
Practical strategies to implement at home:
Role modelling – Practice what you preach. Reflect on your daily practices and conversations and use any opportunity to role model good values for children. You can also identify this for them. Eg. By cutting this cookie into two equal pieces for you and your sister, I am being fair.
Reading books that explore values – Storybooks will often explore a range of values. Ensure you identify them while reading the story to your child and have a conversation with your child to support their understanding.
Explore values through play – play can allow children to act out real life situations to support their understanding of the world. It also can involve social interactions as children play with others. Whether play occurs with real people, dolls or toys, play is a great opportunity to explore values such as kindness, responsibility (with packing away toys), respect and conflict resolution.
Learning responsibility through chores – look at giving your child simple age appropriate chores to do around the house. This could be setting the table, making their bed. Following through with chores is a great way to build independence and responsibility.
Involvement in community and charity projects – Participating in acts of giving and helping can teach children that doing something good for other people can feel great. Charity and community work allows children to display a range of values and helps them to feel like active citizens who can make a positive impact in the world.
Praise and acknowledgement – Offer ongoing praise and acknowledgement when you see your child displaying values through their behaviour and interaction. Positive reinforcement will support your child’s self-esteem and can encourage children’s ideal behaviours to continue.