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Parenting Principle #11- What The World Needs
By Bob Kalle
One of the roles we fill as parents is the role of leader. Parents can’t escape the responsibility they have as parents to teach our children how to be happy and successful. As we all know, our children watch us and the things we do in order to learn about the world.
So, what are we teaching our children? What do you think are the important lessons to impart to your children? Are you teaching them to be good role models for their family in the future?
We have a responsibility to our children, our families and our society to teach our children how to be happy and successful along with being good members of society. I thought about my responsibility to teach morals and ethics to my children. And the best way to teach that is to model it in our everyday lives.
I would teach sections on Ethics in my Leadership classes for MBA students. I would ask them where they learned their morals and ethics. The answers revolved around family and church. So, as parents we do have a great influence over what our children learn, whether we believe it or not.
I was in a discussion with a school administrator in the office and in front of a high school student. The administrator said that the youth of today had a more difficult time in society because of the many choices they have. Being the challenger, I said that it was not really harder for them today. The rules were laid out in the 10 Commandments. If they follow the 10 Commandments, life is simpler. See, if your parents tell you not to drink, and if you honor your parents, the decision is made already. Peer pressure should not sway you from your morals and ethics. The difficulty for youth comes in from wanting to do what they think will make them feel good instead of making the best decision.
That is the dilemma today. We have to teach our children how to make good decisions. And we have to base those decisions on some values or priorities. What rules or codes are you basing your morals and ethics on? And how are you teaching this to your children?
