1. Watch for trustworthy behavior and show your appreciation.

2. If you make a mistake, admit it and don’t blame others. Talk about it with your children. Model how a person of character handles making a mistake.

3. Talk to your child about times in your life (and listen to theirs) when it has been hard to be honest or keep promises.

4. Set family goals. Have each member of the family complete the following sentence and post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will be trustworthy by: _______________.

• Model the behavior you want to see in your child and acknowledge their good behavior when

you see it.

• Be clear about your expectations; expect your child to do what they say they are going to do and to be

honest with you.

• Provide for basic needs on a consistent basis (love,

proper nutrition, healthy activities, reading for

enjoyment, faith development, etc.).

• Develop family rules and consequences. Explain

them ahead of time and then use the consequences in

a consistent way.

• Model relationships that demonstrate honesty,

integrity, promise-keeping and loyalty.

• Develop a calm, emotionally responsive and stable

home environment with a proper balance of freedom

and structure.

Is there harm in a little white lie?

Here’s one way to decide. If upon learning of the lie, would the person lied to thank you for caring or feel betrayed or manipulated?

Most books you already read to or with your child can be discussed using the Six Pillar s of Character. For a list of

1. During mealtime each day, have each family member name a good trait for each person at

the table. For example: “Dad is a good storyteller.”

By focusing on what each person does

well, you are appreciating their unique abilities.

2. Set family goals. Have each member of the

family complete the following sentence and

post it where it will serve as a reminder. I will

show respect for others by: __________.

• Model respect and expect your children to

treat you and others in a respectful way. Make a list

of ways to show respect in your home.

• Treat each youngster as equally as possible recognizing that children may have different needs. Help your family understand that you provide for their needs and that sometimes that means not everyone gets the same thing.

• Embrace diversity and cooperating with individuals

that are ethnically and culturally different.

• Respect privacy unless suspicious behaviors necessitate otherwise.

• Talk to your child about the differences between

“treating everyone with respect” and admiring them.

The “Rule of Universality”

Do only those acts which you are willing to allow to become universal standards of behavior, applicable to all people in similar situations. Ask yourself, “If everyone did it, would it be a good thing?”

Many movies provide a rich content to have character discussions with your children. But, selecting the right movie, watching it together and discussing it is very important. One resource for parents is “Teach With Movies”, a CC! partner organization. For more information,

visit teachwithmovies.org.

1. Give your child a chore to do. Teach them how to do it again and give them a deadline to complete it, then expect your child to be responsible in doing the task. Thank them after they do it.

2. With your child, establish a regular method for

him/her to complete homework and have what is needed for school.

3. Set family goals. Have each member of the

family complete the following sentence and post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will show that I am responsible by: _____________

• Give youngsters tasks at home to accomplish.

• Focus on effort and a positive attitude rather than overemphasis on outcome.

• Applaud courageous decisions where the pull to the wrong thing was avoided.

• Take ownership for mistakes.

• Develop high expectations and link consequences to poor choices.

• Everything we do makes a difference. What we say and

what we do starts a chain reaction that affects the lives of others.

• Choosing NOT to choose is a choice.

In 1996, a typical child watched 25,000 hours of television before his or her 18th birthday. Judging how much television

and what shows are best for your family is one of the largest responsibilities of current parenting. Consider these suggestions:

• Decide upon the amount of TV/video games you allow

• Set the hours when the TV may be on or must be turned off

• Watch with your child, discuss what you see and hear on TV and ask questions that encourage the child to think about what he or she is watching in terms of the Six Pillars

• Explain the purpose of commercials

• Limit the amount of violence watched and discuss violence with him or her

• Turn the TV off after the programs you have selected are over

• Set a good example. Limit adult TV time too.

1. When you hear, “It’s not fair!” ask your child

to define what is unfair about the situation.

Usually when you hear this, it means your child

didn’t receive something he/she thinks was

deserved or an expectation hasn’t been metwhether

real or imagined.

2. Discuss the question “Does fair mean equal?”

with your child. Talk about situations in school, home or the community where the answers may sometimes be “yes” and sometimes “no”.

3. Set family goals. Have each member of the

family complete the following sentence and

post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will

show fairness by: ______________________.

• Create a democratic family environment by

providing opportunities for each family

member to provide input on appropriate family topics and decisions.

• Embrace the uniqueness of each family member

without making comparisons of specific areas of

competence.

• Consistently apply pre-determined rules. Make

expectations clear and predictable.

• Advocate and help others who are impacted by

adversity.

• Involve children in developing rules they are to follow.

The Key to Fairness:

Pre-established rules, consistently applied.

Music, whether on the radio or CDs, can be a wonderful source of entertainment and education. As a parent, you need to be clear about your rules and expectations regarding what is appropriate music for your child. With upper elementary

through high school youth, you need to listen to what they are listening to, review the lyrics and discuss the character of the artists. Music videos can be highly suggestive and sometimes inappropriate for young viewers. Your role as a parent is to monitor what your child is viewing and

listening to, and then determine if the lessons being taught through music are the ones that match the values you want

your child to have. Fore resources on children’s music, visit

www.childrensmusicweb.com.

1. Declare this month as “Caring Month” and find

ways to show caring: anonymous notes, small

chores done as a surprise, etc.

2. Do something as a family that shows caring for

someone in need. Take your children along

with you when you volunteer.

3. Set family goals. Have each member of the

family complete the following sentence and

post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will

be caring by: ______________________.

• Give each youngster time, attention and

affection.

• Encourage awareness and expression of feelings.

• Consistently ask how behavioral choices impact others’ feelings. Help him or her to see the relationship between their actions and the feelings of others. Do not tolerate your child doing or saying things to intentionally hurt anyone.

• Encourage cooperation and helpful behavior.

“They may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”

-Carl Buehner

Promote compassion and inspire caring in your family through opportunities to help others in need: in your home, neighborhood, school, community, state, country or world. Often children will notice people in need and feel very

strongly about helping them. Be open to helping them identify their own blessings and find ways to safely assist people in need. For ideas, visit the Family Cares Program at www.pointsoflight.org.

1. Practice citizenship in action: be informed. Model how to “stay up” on current events by reading the paper or watching television news, attend local meetings of importance and talk about issues as a family.

2. Have a family plan to regularly protect and conserve resources. For example, recycle, plant trees, don’t litter.

3. Set family goals. Have each member of the family complete the following sentence and post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will be a good citizen by: ___________________.

• Develop a family mission statement that includes

service to others.

• Encourage extra-curricular activities that promote

cooperation and good team-work.

• Encourage volunteerism and service-learning on a

consistent and constant basis. Provide opportunities

for children to reflect on their service: talk about or

draw pictures about what they did, how it felt and why it matters to help others.

• Allow opportunities for reflection by writing, reading, and discussing the importance of social responsibility and global awareness.

Being a citizen comes with rights, duties and privileges. With every right comes the responsibility to exercise it in a fair manner and to help fellow citizens do the same.

The internet is a valuable tool for our society, but it also brings increased duties for acting as a responsible citizen with in new global community. Your child needs your guidance to maximize the benefit of the internet as a tool for education and communication while staying responsible and safe. As a parent, you should know what sites your child is visiting, who they are emailing or instant messaging, and

what email they are receiving. Installing a spam filter and privacy filters will help protect your child from solicitation. For more information, visit Media Technology for Parents at www.pta.org.