Teaching Children Right From Wrong (NAPSA)—Parents don’t just pass down genes and inheritances to children. They pass a sense of right and wrong, too. Experts say children learn morality from their parents or caregivers—andthat the right lessons can go a long way toward helping kids makethe right decisions when faced with moral dilemmas. Theyoffer thesetips: Talk The Talk—Speak to your child about issues that come up during the day. Give your child a clear understanding about whatis right, what is wrong and why. For instance, if you’re undercharged for something at a store while shopping with your child, explain why it is important to still pay the correct amount. You could say, “It’s important not to take advantage of other people’s mistakes, and besides, I wouldn’t want to get the clerk in trouble with his boss.” Listen Up—Ask your child about his day, and listen carefully to what he says. Use the stories he tells you as a chance to teach him about moral choices and responsibilities. When your child talks about decisions he made at school, on the playground or on the school bus, ask him why he made the choices he did and discuss what the consequences could have been if other choices were made. “What would have happened if you were meanto that little boy? Why do you thinkit’s so important not to be mean to other children?” for example. Watch And Learn—Often, watching television or movies with a child leads to an opportunity to discuss morality and the consequences of actions. For instance, a television series that’s now also cr) Experts say discussing the daily choices yourchild makes can help teach him right from wrong. available on DVD—called “The Roach Approach”—uses a warmhearted and funny family of animated roaches to help teach important lessons. On one DVD, called “Roach Approach: Don’t Miss The Boat,” the family is vacationing in Florida when a hurricane threatens to ruin their good time. Grandpa Lou then takes the opportunity to tell the story of Noah’s Ark. Parents can use the show to discuss moral issues with their kids. On a second DVD, “The Mane Event,” Grandpa Louretells the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den and talks about the importance of standing up for your beliefs. Walk The Walk—Fewthings confuse children more than obvious discrepancies between what parents teach and how they behave. If you tell your child to treat others kindly, be sure to do so yourself. If you realize you’ve mistreated someone, tell your child about the incident and discuss what you could have donedifferently. Doing so can help your child see that everyone makes mistakes andthatit’s important to own up to them. For more information, visit www.foxhome.com.
