Important Life Lessons to teach your child

Parenting is definitely the hardest job you will ever do. As a parent, you have many important life lessons to teach your child. The world has changed a lot since our grandparents, and even our parents, were young. They have lived very different lives from those our children will lead, and today's youngsters have many challenges ahead of them Here are some of the essential lessons to teach your child:

HONESTY

Help Kids Find a Way To Tell the Truth. The best way to encourage truthfulness in your child is to be a truthful person yourself. Your child takes his cues from you, so it's important that you try to avoid any kind of deception (Never, for instance, say something like "Let's not tell Daddy we got candy this afternoon.") Let your child hear you being truthful with other adults. Teach them- Even if being honest isn't always easy or comfortable, you-and other people-always feel better if you tell the truth.

NOTHING COMES FREE

This is a lesson that you should teach all your children. They should not expect anything to be given to them. Instead, they must learn to work for what they want. It's understandable that you might want to help your children out, especially if they hit hard times, but teach them independence. Don't let them assume that they can treat you as a bank.

JUSTICE

Insist That Children Make Amends. If you're aware that your child has acted badly toward someone, help him think of a way to compensate. Saying "I'm sorry" is pretty easy for a child, and it lets her off the hook without forcing her to think. Having a child make amends in a proactive way conveys a much stronger message. In order to help children internalize a true sense of justice, parents need to encourage them to take some action to remedy a wrong.

DETERMINATION

Encourage Them To Take on a Challenge. Determination is a value that you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do so is by avoiding excessive praise and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. Another powerful way to help kids develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don't come easily-and to praise them for their initiative. Congratulate kids when they manage to do things that are difficult for them. The child who hears "Good for you, I know that was really tough!" is bolstered by the recognition and becomes even more determined to keep trying.

LOVE

Be Generous with Your Affection. I can practically guarantee you that the more you say "I love you" to your child, the more your child will say "I love you" back. The more hugs and kisses you give, the more your home will be filled with love and affection. And when our children feel free to express their love to us, we instill in them perhaps the greatest value of all. don't let a day pass without expressing your affection for your child himself. Show your love in unexpected ways: Pack a note in his lunch box. Tape a heart to the bathroom mirror so he'll see it when he brushes his teeth. Give her a hug-for no reason. Let your child see you demonstrate your love and affection for the people in your life. Talk to your children about how much you love and appreciate their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.