In the last blog, I discussed the concept of identifying your values instead of making New Years resolutions as a way to contemplate how you will embrace your life in 2023.
There is a lot of literature and credible evidence about the use of values as a beneficial guide for living life with purpose and direction.
The best thing is values are universal. It's never too early to teach children about values. You can do this through modelling your values in your everyday actions. Children learn a lot through observing and watching you and others. How many times have you cringed when they randomly show a mannerism of yours or repeat something you said one day to another person?
You can also teach them directly about values through conversations and activities. Giving children words to describe the actions (values) that they view in others, helping them think about their own actions and notice how it feels for them and others is really powerful. It's important for the development of empathy, compassion, perspective taking, successful social interactions and relationships and common humanity.
A few years ago, my family and I went on a 4 week road trip along the south east coast of Australia. My children were 7 and 9. Roadtrips are fun and hardwork all at the same time! Prior to the trip, I had been to a professional development course where values were discussed. I decided to put my learning into action and test out the value of values during the roadtrip! What better time and if it could bring harmony to our days, there was nothing to lose!
I had a child friendly list of values. We each nominated some values that were important to us and ones that we wanted to embrace on our trip. Although we came up with many values, we collaborated and cooperated to narrowed them down to five (one nominated by each family member).
We had a list (great!), but now we needed to live our values. We got a jar and stuck on our list of values and everytime we displayed or noticed a value in others, we would put a shell in the jar. This was a great way of reinforcing our family road trip values and allows for plenty of conversation. Our family road trip values jar was a hit! Harmony achieved (well most of the time anyway!) it became really motivating for the kids, especially as the jar continued to fill up.
Now it's your turn to experiment, explore and create some values with children. Click on the link below to open up my tip sheet and start the conversation about values and engage in some meaningful fun.
コメント