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Character Building: Block by Block

Character building is a process, just like building a building. In the book, 1001 More Things to Do with Your Kids, author Caryl Waller Krueger shares some easy ways to incorporate character lessons into your daily life:

Talk about Character

Use your time in the car or at the dinner table to talk openly about virtues.  Explain to your children that virtue is what guides us to do the right thing.

Virtues are qualities we want to have.

For example, talk about what it means to be honest. Create scenarios of dishonest behavior and ask your children what they would do. Krueger provides some ideas, such as “at a store when given too much change, keeping it since they charge big prices,” plagiarizing a school report or sneaking out of the house.

Courage is another virtue.  Yes, courage means being brave, but let your kids know that sometimes you can be brave and scared at the same time.  Let’s say your child has told a lie, well, the virtuous and brave thing to do is to come forward and tell the truth – even if you’re afraid of the consequences.

Look at History

Ask your children which historical figures have shown integrity and why. You could look up those people together on the Internet or in a book, and learn more about their lives. Try these:

  1. Abraham Lincoln
  2. Francis Marion (His life story was told in the movie, The Patriot)
  3. Rosa Parks
  4. Dolly Madison (Showed bravery when the White House caught fire)
  5. Albert Schweitzer  (Physician, theologian, musician)
  6. Clara Barton (Nurse and first president of the American Red Cross)
  7. You can also check out, The Book of Virtues, by William Bennett.
  8. One more thing to try is to get your kids to name people with virtue who they personally know, or who they’ve heard of.

Grant More Responsibility

Cultivate responsibility by having a list of daily activities for each of your children. Create a chart they can check off each day to help them stay organized and on-task. They’ll hopefully feel a sense of accomplishment when the list is done. Depending on your child’s age, the list can include simple things such as brushing their teeth or it could include daily chores, such as washing dishes.

Give Thanks Often

Gratefulness and thankfulness aren’t just for the Thanksgiving holiday. Take a few minutes every day or week to have each family member share what they are thankful for.

Act in Kindness

Teach your children that kindness doesn’t need an ulterior motive. Choose a neighbor, teacher or elderly person and do something kind for them. You could bake a batch of cookies, help rake their yard or invite them over for dinner.

Volunteer with Your Family

Choose a family volunteer project.  Have a garage sale and donate the proceeds to charity.  Or, if your children are old enough, take them with you to volunteer at a nursing home, hospital or homeless shelter.

Model a Life of Character

Model a life of character. If you are teaching your children about honesty and integrity, but then lie about their age to get a movie discount, you are sending a mixed message. Your children will often remember what you do more than what you say, so be sure to follow through on these lessons in your own life.

This article is based on the book, 1001 More Things to Do with Your Kids, by Caryl Waller Krueger. Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

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