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Reinforcing Important Values During The Summer Months

If you have your child enrolled at our Christian school in Loveland, you get to enjoy the benefit of having important values reinforced daily in the classroom in your child’s life. Values — such as honesty, kindness, compassion, humility, and more — are all a major component of their day-to-day studies. When school lets out for the season, the emphasis on these values doesn’t need to stop.

Check out these tips, which will help you continue to reinforce important values in your child’s life during the busy summer months ahead.

It Starts With Your Example

If you want your kids to follow a certain set of values, you have to start by setting the right example. For instance, if you want your kids to value honesty, you should ensure you demonstrate this value in your day-to-day life. Make sure that what you do at work is done honestly. Show them that honesty is important by always dealing with them with integrity. If you lie to your boss or lie to a friend, your kids will see this and will follow suit. Kids are much more likely to listen to your actions than to your words.

Start each day by asking yourself what values you want your kids to take away from that day. Then keep those values top of mind while you go about the day. Use every chance you can to lead by example, instilling important values through your own actions. If you slip up and realize you did something that went against your values, don’t brush it under the rug. Use this as a teaching experience. Apologize to your kids for not setting the right example and make things right with anyone else involved. This will help your kids understand that everyone makes mistakes but it is how we handle those slip-ups that defines who we are.

Choose Clubs & Organizations In Line With Your Values

During the summer, your kids will benefit from joining different clubs and organizations. From summer sports to nature groups to other organized activities, make sure the groups they join help reinforce the values you want them to learn.

The right clubs and organizations will go a long way in helping instill the values you care about. For example, a sports team that emphasizes integrity in their actions will continue to teach your child about the importance of acting with character in any situation. Find groups that align with your values and sign your kids up for activities.

Take Time Together As A Family

While your example will be the number one way you express your values to your children, taking time to gather as a family and discuss important values is also meaningful. If you have a family meal once a day, use that time to talk about a different value each week. One week you might focus on the importance of kindness. You can encourage your kids at your daily family meal to talk about what kindness looks like, how it can be enacted, and how it can become a part of each family member’s character.

Make sure you open up these conversations for questions as well. If your kids have pushback about a value you present, don’t react with judgment and defensiveness. Instead, hear out what they have to say and allow them to ask questions. The only way a value will become their own is if they think it through and question it on their own.

Celebrate Wins

Finally, throughout the summer, take the time to celebrate times when your kids demonstrate a trait you value. For example, if your youngest took the time to share their new toy with a friend, celebrate as a family with a special treat and talk about how important kindness is and how they expressed that through their actions. Perhaps your teenager took the high road with friends and refused to take part in an activity that would have compromised their integrity. Celebrate with them by taking them out for a special meal one-on-one and reinforcing how proud you are of who they are becoming.

Positive reinforcement is the best way to continue to instill values in your children throughout the entire year. Just because the school season has concluded for the summer doesn’t mean learning should conclude as well. Here at Resurrection Christian School, we are passionate about passing on important values to your children when they attend our Christian school in Loveland. Learn more by booking a tour of our facilities today.