Teaching Values

In England we had riots which seem to be about nothing more than an excuse to steal and to cause as much damage as possible. Many of us have been left horrified that so many people seem to lack the values and self respect that should influence the way they behave. So my question is, how do you teach values?

I don’t know the answers Justontime but I think you are right that self respect is an important component. But somehow we have to teach our kids to respect and value others and to respect and value their planet. I think it starts from when the children are tiny, you teach by example and you set very clear standards for them.

I am a preschool teacher and I work hard on this. I want the kids to have as much respect for others stuff as they can.

It should be a clear and consistent message that you treat other people and other people’s belongings with as much respect as you would like them to treat you and your belongings.

We need to see examples of that sort of attitude in our leaders and politicians too, but all too often they do not set a good example.

I think we’ve lost the family and values come from the family. We’ve just moved way too fast.

People say that all the time about losing the family, but that is not my experience. My family is still close with grandparents and aunts and uncles all involved in the lives of my children. Almost all the people i know have similar families, sure there may be kids like mine with only one parent (their dad died) but that doesn’t mean that values are lost. Ouite the opposite, as the only parent you have a tremendous responsibility to do your very best for your children and the whole of your life is geared to that.

I think the response to the riots has shown that family values are thrving in many areas. People of all ages turned out to clear up the streets and the parents of the three men who died set a tremendous example, their words could either have inflamed the problem or (as they did) calmed the situation.

I was glad to hear about the people turning up to clean the streets. I think it showed a lot about people coming together. It’s just sad how it often takes a tragedy to bring out the good in people.

I don’t think we’ve lost family values. I do think that we hear more about the bad stuff going on due to new media, but good stuff happens too.

It all begins in the home. Then it goes out to the community. I agree that teaching by example is very important.

Parents may set a good example, but what about politicians, bankers, newspapers and the like, they haven’t set such a good example have they?

As parents, all we can do is set an example and hope the children follow. In the end people are going to be who they are.

I probably sound like my grandma now, but when I was young we were taught values at home, at school, at sunday school and even in the homes of our friends. I would love to think that is still the case but I am not so sure.

I’m not saying that there aren’t strong and healthy families out there, but if you look at American history, our downhill spiral began when the family began to take a backseat to keeping up with the Joneses and Women’s Lib. When Mom went to work, it changed the entire support system.

That is perhaps why I see it differently Orry Main, they don’t teach American History in school here. Considering that we share a language we know precious little about USA and I guess the reverse may be true too.