Teach your child right from wrong

Children’s understanding of right from wrong develops slowly, from within. It cannot be imposed upon them. Actively teach your children a code of moral conduct and lay the groundwork for them to develop their own moral guide.

Parenting tips

Allow your children to own and control some possessions while encouraging them to share others.
Share your values and the reasons for them.
Build a sense of trust by being trustworthy.
Demonstrate that you have confidence in your children to become trustworthy.
Teach your child to love and care about others.
Teach your child self-control and how to handle frustration.
Remember that children learn the most important values and attitudes through your modeling of them.

Activities

Help your children see things from the other person’s point of view.
Teach your children to both think about and experience the consequences of their actions.
Avoid using negative labels like “liar” with children because they might take on those identities.
Let your children know you value their honesty when they tell the truth .
Teach your child that it is okay to have negative feelings.
Apologize and admit errors when YOU are wrong!
Remember, you are always teaching.
Make lists of the ways we are the same and the ways we are different from others.
Make up positive phrases to model moral behavior such as “Make nice to kitty” and “Be gentle with dolly.”
Teach your children steps for decisionmaking and let them solve their own moral dilemmas whenever appropriate.
Have family rituals that model moral behavior (e.g., working at a soup kitchen).
Make up family rules together about moral and ethical issues.