Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

JeanTracy.minti.com

Parenting Skills ??? Today???s agenda for Building Character:

??         In my last post, we discussed the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.

??         We also discussed practical questions for developing the 5 key attitudes.

??         Today we???ll use a specific moral dilemma and show how to blend in the practical questions.

Character Building ??? Consider using this moral dilemma:

It???s odd but true that adversity introduces your kids to themselves. Who they are depends on how they think, feel, and act. Let discussion dilemmas prepare them for those adversities.

Case in point, imagine a simple car ride or a vacation drive when you and your kids are discussing the following dilemma:

What would you do if the class bully is picking on a little kid? The bully is bigger than you. The smaller boy is crying. Will you help the little kid? Why or why not?

From my years as a teacher and a counselor, I found that kids love to discuss dilemmas. Ask your kids meaty questions when discussing dilemmas.

Character Building ??? Practical questions to use with this moral dilemma:

1.    How did the little boy feel?

2.    Why would a big kid bully a little kid?

3.    What do most kids think about bullies?

4.    Have you ever bullied?

5.    What advice would you give to bullies?

Adjust the questions to fit the dilemma. Having kids face adversity through dilemma discussions prepares them for future problems. Teach them to think with the above 5 questions. You???ll delight in the discussions. You???ll build character too.

Now you know the 5 questions to help your kids discuss moral values. Use them and let me know your opinions. Your ideas are important to me.

My next post will discuss the ???No Snitchin??? Rule from rappers and Australia???s answer to Snoop Dog.

If you liked these parenting tips, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com   where you???ll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

JeanTracy.minti.com

Parenting Skills – Today’s agenda for Building Character:

·         In my last post, we discussed the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.

·         We also discussed practical questions for developing the 5 key attitudes.

·         Today we’ll use a specific moral dilemma and show how to blend in the practical questions.

Character Building – Consider using this moral dilemma:

It’s odd but true that adversity introduces your kids to themselves. Who they are depends on how they think, feel, and act. Let discussion dilemmas prepare them for those adversities.

Case in point, imagine a simple car ride or a vacation drive when you and your kids are discussing the following dilemma:

What would you do if the class bully is picking on a little kid? The bully is bigger than you. The smaller boy is crying. Will you help the little kid? Why or why not?

From my years as a teacher and a counselor, I found that kids love to discuss dilemmas. Ask your kids meaty questions when discussing dilemmas.

Character Building – Practical questions to use with this moral dilemma:

1.    How did the little boy feel?

2.    Why would a big kid bully a little kid?

3.    What do most kids think about bullies?

4.    Have you ever bullied?

5.    What advice would you give to bullies?

Adjust the questions to fit the dilemma. Having kids face adversity through dilemma discussions prepares them for future problems. Teach them to think with the above 5 questions. You’ll delight in the discussions. You’ll build character too.

Now you know the 5 questions to help your kids discuss moral values. Use them and let me know your opinions. Your ideas are important to me.

My next post will discuss the “No Snitchin” Rule from rappers and Australia’s answer to Snoop Dog.

If you liked these parenting tips, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com   where you’ll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

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Building character in kids can be confusing. Have you ever wondered if your children are developing moral attitudes? Let's look at some great attitudes to instill for building character.

Parenting Skills ??? Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed the 4 secret parenting strategies to use with moral dilemmas.
• Today we'll discuss the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.
• We'll also offer practical questions for developing the 5 key attitudes.

Character Building ??? The 5 key attitudes to develop in your children when using moral dilemmas:

• Empathy
• Role-taking
• Social Awareness
• Self-reflection
• Good advice giving.

Parenting Skills ??? Character building questions for developing the 5 key attitudes:

1. Character Building with Empathy ??? Empathy understands and feels the thoughts and feelings of another. Teaching your kids empathy is not difficult. When your child tells you about an incident at school in which another child was bullied or treated badly ask, "How would you feel if that happened to you? Or you might ask, "How do you think the victim felt?" Helping your child to understand the thoughts and feelings of others, teaches them empathy and helps build character too.

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2. Character Building with Role-Taking ??? Role-taking is related to empathy. Help your child step into the shoes of another with questions. Then act out both sides of an incident. "Why do you think the bully acted the way he did?" Act out being the bully. "Why do you think the victim acted the way he did?" Role-play the incident. Role-playing helps your child see both sides clearly.

   ??

3. Character Building with Social Awareness ??? Social awareness is closely related to empathy and role-taking. Social awareness is the understanding of what most kids think about bullying, hurting others or any painful problem another child may experience. A good question to ask is, "How do most kids think about being mean to others?"

   ??

4. Character Building with Self-Reflection ??? Self-reflection helps kids look at their own behavior. Asking "Have you ever treated other kids badly? What happened? How did you feel about yourself?" helps your child pay attention to his deeper thoughts and feelings. Here's another question for self-reflection. "If you could do it over, what would you do differently?" When kids self-reflect and see how they can improve their own behavior, they are one step closer to building character.

   ??

5. Character Building with Good Advice Giving ??? Asking your children, "What advice would you give to the bully? What advice would you give to the victim?" helps them solve problems and come up with solutions. When they're faced with similar difficulties, they'll be more likely to follow their own advice.

There you have it, 5 key attitudes with character building questions. Try them and let me know the results. I'm interested in your opinions.

Our next post will discuss a specific moral dilemma and how to easily use the character building questions.

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If you liked these parenting tips, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

??

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Building character in kids can be confusing. Have you ever wondered if your children are developing moral attitudes? Let's look at some great attitudes to instill for building character.

Parenting Skills – Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed the 4 secret parenting strategies to use with moral dilemmas.
• Today we'll discuss the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.
• We'll also offer practical questions for developing the 5 key attitudes.

Character Building – The 5 key attitudes to develop in your children when using moral dilemmas:

• Empathy
• Role-taking
• Social Awareness
• Self-reflection
• Good advice giving.

Parenting Skills – Character building questions for developing the 5 key attitudes:

1. Character Building with Empathy – Empathy understands and feels the thoughts and feelings of another. Teaching your kids empathy is not difficult. When your child tells you about an incident at school in which another child was bullied or treated badly ask, "How would you feel if that happened to you? Or you might ask, "How do you think the victim felt?" Helping your child to understand the thoughts and feelings of others, teaches them empathy and helps build character too.

    

2. Character Building with Role-Taking – Role-taking is related to empathy. Help your child step into the shoes of another with questions. Then act out both sides of an incident. "Why do you think the bully acted the way he did?" Act out being the bully. "Why do you think the victim acted the way he did?" Role-play the incident. Role-playing helps your child see both sides clearly.

    

3. Character Building with Social Awareness – Social awareness is closely related to empathy and role-taking. Social awareness is the understanding of what most kids think about bullying, hurting others or any painful problem another child may experience. A good question to ask is, "How do most kids think about being mean to others?"

    

4. Character Building with Self-Reflection – Self-reflection helps kids look at their own behavior. Asking "Have you ever treated other kids badly? What happened? How did you feel about yourself?" helps your child pay attention to his deeper thoughts and feelings. Here's another question for self-reflection. "If you could do it over, what would you do differently?" When kids self-reflect and see how they can improve their own behavior, they are one step closer to building character.

    

5. Character Building with Good Advice Giving – Asking your children, "What advice would you give to the bully? What advice would you give to the victim?" helps them solve problems and come up with solutions. When they're faced with similar difficulties, they'll be more likely to follow their own advice.

There you have it, 5 key attitudes with character building questions. Try them and let me know the results. I'm interested in your opinions.

Our next post will discuss a specific moral dilemma and how to easily use the character building questions.

If you liked these parenting tips, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Parenting Skills ??? Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed the key question to ask with moral dilemmas and why it is so important to build character in children at an early age.
• Today we'll discuss the 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas with your kids.

Character Building ??? 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas:

The first letter in each strategy creates the word PLAN. Hopefully, this little memory trick will help you remember each strategy.

• Probe gently.
• Listen carefully.
• Appreciate honestly.
• No criticism!

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1. When you probe gently, ask just enough questions to get your children thinking. Of course, you'll want to structure your questions to bring out the best ideas from your kids.

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2. When you listen carefully, you'll talk less. No lecturing. As you may already know, kids don't listen to lectures. I remember a dad in my counseling practice who admitted to lecturing his daughter two hours straight. When she tapped her fingers and rolled her eyes, he would yell, "Are you listening?" What do you think?

   ??

3. When you appreciate honestly, you'll find ideas and opinions in your kids' discussions for you to praise. This practice is called "shaping." When you approve of what your children think, they'll be more likely to keep thinking in the praiseworthy direction. Praising kids for their thoughts also encourages them to share more.

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4. When you keep criticism out of the conversation, you provide an open and safe atmosphere to discuss what they really think. If you hear something you don't like, ask more questions to clarify what they said or take time outside of the discussion to think how you will approach the situation again.

   A wise person once said, "Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place." This applies to you and your kids. Your children need to place themselves within the dilemma to figure the best way out. You need to place yourself within the mind of your children to keep the discussion moving forward.

There you have it, the 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas. Try them and let me know the results. I'm interested in your opinions.

In our next post, we'll cover the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

??

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Parenting Skills – Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed the key question to ask with moral dilemmas and why it is so important to build character in children at an early age.
• Today we'll discuss the 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas with your kids.

Character Building – 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas:

The first letter in each strategy creates the word PLAN. Hopefully, this little memory trick will help you remember each strategy.

• Probe gently.
• Listen carefully.
• Appreciate honestly.
• No criticism!

   

1. When you probe gently, ask just enough questions to get your children thinking. Of course, you'll want to structure your questions to bring out the best ideas from your kids.

    

2. When you listen carefully, you'll talk less. No lecturing. As you may already know, kids don't listen to lectures. I remember a dad in my counseling practice who admitted to lecturing his daughter two hours straight. When she tapped her fingers and rolled her eyes, he would yell, "Are you listening?" What do you think?

    

3. When you appreciate honestly, you'll find ideas and opinions in your kids' discussions for you to praise. This practice is called "shaping." When you approve of what your children think, they'll be more likely to keep thinking in the praiseworthy direction. Praising kids for their thoughts also encourages them to share more.

    

4. When you keep criticism out of the conversation, you provide an open and safe atmosphere to discuss what they really think. If you hear something you don't like, ask more questions to clarify what they said or take time outside of the discussion to think how you will approach the situation again.

   A wise person once said, "Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place." This applies to you and your kids. Your children need to place themselves within the dilemma to figure the best way out. You need to place yourself within the mind of your children to keep the discussion moving forward.

There you have it, the 4 secret strategies for discussing moral dilemmas. Try them and let me know the results. I'm interested in your opinions.

In our next post, we'll cover the 5 key attitudes to encourage in your children.

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Parenting Skills – Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed how moral dilemma discussions increase character in your kids.
• In this post, we'll discuss the key question to ask when presenting your kids with a moral dilemma.
• We'll also explore why moral dilemma discussions are important for character building when your kids are young.

Character Building – The key question to use with moral dilemmas:

When you ask your kids, "What would you do?" you are teaching them to use their moral reasoning. Such reasoning separates them from lower animals. Teaching them to reason well is the best way for building character in their young hearts and growing minds. Getting kids to think through problems before they occur, prepares them to face life's challenges too. Just remember the key question, "What would you do?"

Character Building – Why moral dilemma discussions should start when your kids are young:

Let's face it. What do you fear most when your kids hit the teen years? Will the pop culture steer them in the wrong direction? Will they addict themselves to tobacco, drugs, or violence? Will, they lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want? Moral dilemma discussions prepare your kids now to make character building choices later.

From my 22 years as a family counselor, I know the heartache when sweet kids become troubled teens. Why not start helping your kids think right about wrong today?

In my next post, you'll learn the 4 secrets strategies for discussing moral dilemma with your kids.

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Parenting Skills ??? Today's agenda for Building Character:

• In my last post, we discussed how moral dilemma discussions increase character in your kids.
• In this post, we'll discuss the key question to ask when presenting your kids with a moral dilemma.
• We'll also explore why moral dilemma discussions are important for character building when your kids are young.

Character Building ??? The key question to use with moral dilemmas:

When you ask your kids, "What would you do?" you are teaching them to use their moral reasoning. Such reasoning separates them from lower animals. Teaching them to reason well is the best way for building character in their young hearts and growing minds. Getting kids to think through problems before they occur, prepares them to face life's challenges too. Just remember the key question, "What would you do?"

Character Building ??? Why moral dilemma discussions should start when your kids are young:

Let's face it. What do you fear most when your kids hit the teen years? Will the pop culture steer them in the wrong direction? Will they addict themselves to tobacco, drugs, or violence? Will, they lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want? Moral dilemma discussions prepare your kids now to make character building choices later.

From my 22 years as a family counselor, I know the heartache when sweet kids become troubled teens. Why not start helping your kids think right about wrong today?

In my next post, you'll learn the 4 secrets strategies for discussing moral dilemma with your kids.

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com where you'll find them at the top of the page.

??

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

??

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas for your family discussions, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas. Don't wait. The time to build character is now.

??

Parenting tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

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How often do your children face moral dilemmas? Do you feel confident they'll do the right thing? If you're like most parents, you may be concerned. Here's a parenting tip you can use today.

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Character building using moral dilemmas teaches kids to think right about wrong:

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Facing moral dilemmas is normal. Facing them well takes character. If your Peter ate the last cookie, will he admit it? If your Sally kicked her sister, will she tell you the truth? If your Michael stole a toy, will he confess and give it back? Being honest and telling the truth takes character. Discussing moral dilemmas is a fun and easy way to promote both and build character too.

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J.P. Morgan once said, " A man has always two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason."

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Let's apply this to your children. When your Johnny or Suzy is in trouble, would you rather have them give you a good reason or the real reason? Discussing moral dilemmas can be helpful in getting the real reason.

??

If you're frustrated by your children's lack of responsibility, their disrespect, and excuses, moral dilemma can help them too. Discussing moral dilemmas today can greatly affect their behavior tomorrow.

??

In my next post, you find out the key question to ask when presenting your kids with a moral dilemma. You also explore why it's important to create moral dilemma discussions when your kids are young.

??

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com They're available for you at the top of the page.

??

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

??

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas for your fun discussions.

Parenting tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

How often do your children face moral dilemmas? Do you feel confident they'll do the right thing? If you're like most parents, you may be concerned. Here's a parenting tip you can use today.

Character building using moral dilemmas teaches kids to think right about wrong:

Facing moral dilemmas is normal. Facing them well takes character. If your Peter ate the last cookie, will he admit it? If your Sally kicked her sister, will she tell you the truth? If your Michael stole a toy, will he confess and give it back? Being honest and telling the truth takes character. Discussing moral dilemmas is a fun and easy way to promote both and build character too.

J.P. Morgan once said, " A man has always two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason."

Let's apply this to your children. When your Johnny or Suzy is in trouble, would you rather have them give you a good reason or the real reason? Discussing moral dilemmas can be helpful in getting the real reason.

If you're frustrated by your children's lack of responsibility, their disrespect, and excuses, moral dilemma can help them too. Discussing moral dilemmas today can greatly affect their behavior tomorrow.

In my next post, you find out the key question to ask when presenting your kids with a moral dilemma. You also explore why it's important to create moral dilemma discussions when your kids are young.

If you liked this parenting tip, pick up our FREE Parenting Tips - 21 of the Best at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com They're available for you at the top of the page.

Subscribe to our FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

If you're wondering where to find moral dilemmas, treat your family to our Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas for your fun discussions.