Activities to Build Character
As parents and educators, we’re always on the look out for activities and lessons to engage our children in to help teach them a lesson. Let’s think about character building! This isn’t anything that comes with a Manuel when raising and teaching children, it’s something that a child sees in their leader every day, YOU! You are their leader, their mentor, their guidance in life, they look up to you, what you’re doing, they’re watching, what you’re talking about, they’re listening, and what you model, they want to model just like you. Therefore, it’s so important to be the role model for children. We know that there are so many cliche’s out there from when we grew up, or at least my age group, and to be honest, they’re not bad! For example:
If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all-Warm-Hearted Walrus relates, use kind words!
You’re face will freeze that way-Self-Esteem Elephant relates, who wants their face to look like that!
Money doesn’t grow on trees-Responsible Rabbit relates, you have to work hard for what you want!
Elbows off the table-Manners Monkey relates, polite words and actions build better manners!
You brought this on yourself-Behavior Bear relates, it was the choices you made!
Come home when the street lights come on-Respectful Rabbit relates, respect the rules!
You remember, don’t you? These words actually meant something to us when we were growing up and I believe them to be true today. As a parent and educator myself, I did find it easier to offer assistance all the time, however, in the long run, was it teaching the child anything? Was I enabling or helping? When I chose to clean our children’s playroom, was this teaching them to be responsible for their belongings? When I cleaned the kitchen by myself, was this teaching them to be respectful and help out? When we were at the store and they wanted that new game, was this teaching them to work hard and save for the things they wanted? When I completed their homework, was this teaching them to persevere and learn it’s important to not give up and to complete the task? I will admit, with age comes wisdom! And, I’m happy to say that our three adult children turned out to be spectacular! There is a fine line, this I know. And, some things never go out of style, like teaching our children these values, for when they are exposed to them at an early age, they internalize these traits, they learn and they grow from them, and with them. While the world certainly has changed around us, there are still some good ol’ fashioned cliche’s that never go out of style! Try one on your family this week and see their reactions!
Graphics by Jen Downey
When we allow our children to make choices, they then learn what is right from wrong, good from bad. This is important they that understand that everything the choose is not always the best. And, it’s important for them to learn that they need to make choices, they need to learn that they are responsible for their choices and that there are consequences when the best choice wasn’t made. For example, when you don’t study for your spelling test and don’t get the grade you wanted, it’s because you didn’t study! I encourage you to allow your child to do things that will engage them in decision making and help them to make good choices. Let them do things on their own, and with your supervision, nobody knows your child as well as you do. I hope you’ll give them the firm foundation that they need to be the best that they can be. Nobody said it would be easy, but, it’s surely worth it.
Graphic by Jen Downey
TELL me and I forget, TEACH me and I remember, INVOLVE me and I learn. Benjamin Franklin