The Parent’s Guide to Teaching Moral Values: 138 Ways to Raise Great Kids

A long time ago I started a series on this blog called Instilling Values in Children.  The point of this series was to guide parents on their journey of teaching moral values to their kids, which is of more importance than raising academically capable children, or, at least, it should be. As parents we want to raise great kids, kids who know how to show respect, who have confidence, who are compassionate and service-minded. As parents, we want to instill values in children like faith, integrity, reverence, and perseverance. But, sometimes we just don’t know how to go about doing it! We don’t know how exactly to instill or teach values, as they aren’t really a one-time learning experience for our children. Most of these values take years to fully grasp, if they ever are. I think most of us understand the importance of really ingraining these character traits in our children, in part because we do believe that if we “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

So, I have created a sort of training guide for parents. It lists 138 articles from around the web, from different people, who all share how they have worked (or are working) developing good character traits in children. Below you will find several positive character traits, moral values, or qualities listed alphabetically, which you most likely want to foster in your own kid. I really hope this list will help you raise great kids, kids who are just fantastic individuals. Good luck!

Charity and Service

1. Instilling the Value of Service in Our Kids – What’s up Fagans?
2. Teaching Your Children to Serve – Together With Family
3. Teaching Kids about Helping Others – All Done Monkey
4. Using Easter Eggs to Teach Kids about Serving – Tales of Beauty for Ashes
5. Raising Kids who Give Back – Mama Smiles
6. 5 Ways to Teach Your Children to be Givers – Money Saving Mom
7. Values for Children: Generosity – True Aim Education
8. Fighting Selfishness in Our Kids: A Jar of Sacrifice – The House of Hendrix
9. Inspiring Kids to Pay It Forward: Raising the Next Generation to Give More Than They Get – She Lives Free
10. Raising Volunteers: Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer with Kids – She Lives Free
11. The Blessing Bag Challenge – Let’s Do Some Good Today
12. 35 Service Projects for Kids – Kid World Citizen

Empathy, Sympathy, Forgiveness, and Compassion

1. Teaching Kids About Empathy – Kid World Citizen
2. Values for Children: Empathy – True Aim Education
3. Teaching Empathy Through Role Play – The House of Hendrix
4. Teaching Kids How to Apologize – Dirt and Boogers
5. How to Teach Your Kids To Be Compassionate – Mind Body Green
6. 5 Ways to Nurture Compassion in Boys – Moments a Day
7. Want Happy Kids? Teach Forgiveness – Practical Katie
8. Teach Your Children the Power of Saying You’re Sorry – The Jenny Evolution
9. Teaching Children about Feelings vs Behavior – Multiples-Mom
10. 10 Ways to Teach Kids Empathy – One Time Through
11. How to Say You’re Sorry – Chaos and Kiddos
12. Best Picture Books for Teaching Compassion – Artsy Craftsy Mom
13. Noticing the Homeless – Let’s Do Some Good Today

Faith

1. Instilling Faith in Our Children in Jesus Christ – What’s up Fagans?
2. Values for Children: Faith – True Aim Education
3. Family Virtues with Verses – My Mundane and Miraculous Life
4. 10 Things to Pray for Your Young Children – My Mundane and Miraculous Life
5. 31 Ways to Bless Your Kids With Bold Faith – Mothering From Scratch
6. Teaching Kids Faith: Focus on Relationships over Rules – Mothering From Scratch
7. Teaching the Gospel to Kids with a Stain Glass Cross – Tales of Beauty for Ashes

Gratitude and Thankfulness

1. Instilling Values in our kids: Gratitude and Thankfulness – What’s up Fagans?
2. Teaching Toddlers Thankfulness – Parenting Chaos
3. Gratitude and Toddlers – Best Toys 4 Toddlers
4. 4 Keys in Teaching Toddlers Gratitude – Mommy Crusader
5. 11 Ways to Raise a Grateful Child – Bon Bon Break
6. Teaching Kids to Say Thank You – Baby Making Machine
7. Values for Children: Appreciation – True Aim education
8. Teach Your Kids Gratitude with the Gratitude Game – Play. Party. Pin.
9. Great Ideas to Inspire Gratitude and Teach Kids Thankfulness This Fall – She Lives Free
10. Raising a Grateful Child – Knoxville Moms Blog
11. 4 Ways to Raise Children Who are Truly Grateful – Equipping Godly Women
12. 5 Tips for Teaching Kids Gratitude – Love Play and Learn

Honesty and Integrity

1. Teaching Moments: When Your Child Steals a Butterfinger – What’s up Fagans?
2. Values for Children: Teach Honesty – True Aim Education
3. Why I’m Encouraging My Kids to Rebel – Mothering From Scratch
4. 5 Reasons Kids Lie and How to Teach Them About Honesty – One Time Through
5. Modeling Integrity for Children: How Honest do I really have to be? – Nothing if Not Intentional (NateandRachael.com)

Humor, Positivity, and Optimism

1. Instilling the Value of Humor in Our Kids – What’s up Fagans?
2. 10 Activities to Help Your Child Develop a Positive Attitude – Moments a Day
3. 6 Ways to Teach Your Kids to Be an Optimist – Mommy With Selective Memory
4. How to help your Kids Smile More and Argue Less – Your Modern Family

Independence

1. Values for Children: Independence – True Aim Education
2. Raising Independent Kids and Self-Directed Learners – Happiness Is Here Blog
3. Top 8 Tips to Make Your Child Independent – Mom Junction
4. 11 Ways to Raise Your Child to be a Leader – Your Modern Family

Kindness and Friendliness

1. Teaching Kids to Be Kind with the Tacky Box – What’s up Fagans?
2. What Does It Mean to Raise a Kind Child? – Sleeping Should Be Easy
3. Teaching Babies to be Gentle – Multiples-Mom
4. How to Bring Up a Kind Child – Best Toys 4 Toddlers
5. The Secret to Raising Your Kids to Be Kind (Free Printable) – Idealist mom
6. When Your Kids are Mean to Each Other – Kari Kampakis
7. Raising Kind Kids – Mommy Crusader
8. Raising a Kind Daughter – Kari Kampakis
9. Top Quick and Easy Ideas to Practice Kindness as a Family – She Lives Free
10. Resources to Teach Kids About Disability Awareness and Inclusion –  A Day In Our Shoes
11. Random Acts of Kindness for Kids – Knoxville Moms Blog
12. Round-up of Random Acts of Kindness – All Done Monkey
13. 6 Random Acts of Kindness for Toddlers – Sand in My Toes
14. 10 Creative Ways to Teach Children to Be Kind – Mother’s Niche
15. 12 Questions that Teach Kindness in Your Children – Babble
16. What Your Kids Need to Know About Bullying – True Aim Education
17. 6 Dr. Suess Books That Teach Kids Social Skills – iGameMom

Love

1. Why You Should Express Affection to Your Kids – Together with Family
2. Raising a Loving Child – How to encourage your kids to be loving – Artsy Craftsy Mom
3. Teaching Siblings About Loving Each Other – Frugal Fun 4 Boys
4. How to Raise a Wise Child – A Mother Far From Home
5. Teaching Kids to Choose Love – All Done Monkey for Creative World of Varya
6. Values for Children: Love  – True Aim Education
7. Raising Kids Who Get Along – True Aim Education

Loyalty

1. Character Training: Loyalty – A Mother Far From Home

Manners and Respect

1. 11 Tips for Teaching Kids Hospitality (Free Printable) – Blessed Beyond a Doubt
2. Teaching Kids Sick Manners – Child Led Life
3. How to Teach Your Child not to Interrupt – Not Consumed
4. The Interrupt Rule: How to Respectfully Interrupt an Elder – The House of Hendrix
5. Teach Your Child Not to Interrupt in One Simple Step – An Everyday Story
6. 10 Times to Teach Politeness: Raising a Well-Mannered Child – One Time Through
7. Manners Game: Teaching Social Skills the Easy Way – True Aim Education
8. A Humorous Approach to Table Manners – The House of Hendrix
9. Teaching Kids Manners with an Etiquette Tea Party (George Washington Style) – Kludgy Mom
10. Biblical Boyhood: Teaching Boys to Be Respectful – Frugal Fun 4 Boys
11. Manners for Children: Shy or Rude? – True Aim Education
12. Dealing with Sibling Fighting and Rudness – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

Modesty

1. Modesty Misunderstood – How I Plan to Teach My Son – Moms and Crafters
2. Values for Children: Modesty  – True Aim Education

Obedience

1. 10 Empowering Ways to Improve Toddler Listening – The Military Wife and Mom
2. Teaching Children to Want to Obey – Not Consumed
3. Pointing a Defiant Child to God – Not Consumed
4. Teaching Obedience with Goldfish Crackers – Tales of Beauty for Ashes
5. Teaching Kids to Obey with the “Yes, Mommy” Game – Meaningful Mama
6. 5 Ways to Help Children Listen – Happily After Mom
7. Tips to Build Attentiveness in Toddlers and Preschoolers – Teachers of Good Things

Patience, Delayed Gratification, and Self-Control

1. Character Training – Delayed Gratification  – A Mother Far From Home
2. Teaching Kids Self Control Activity – Meaningful Mama
3. Biblical Boyhood: Training in Self-Control – Frugal Fun 4 Boys
4. Teaching Self Control Through Role Play – Meaningful Mama
5. Teaching Kids Self Control: Word Ring – Meaningful Mama
6. Games that Teach Self-Control – Meaningful Mama

Perseverance, Determination, and Courage

1. How to Grow Self-Confidence in Your Children by Teaching Them Perseverance – A Mother Far From Home
2. Teaching Kids to NEVER GIVE UP! – True Aim Education
3. You Can Do Hard Things: Family Exercise Goals – The Things I Love Most
4. 5 Reasons to Shove Your Child Down the Slide of LIfe – The Nomad Mom Diary
5. Values for Children: Determination – True Aim Education
6. Values for Children: Courage – True Aim Education

Reverence

1. Teaching Children to Sit Reverently at Church – Cranial Hiccups
2. Teaching Reverence Begins at Home – Plain and Precious Things

Self-Esteem, Individual Worth, and Confidence

1. Developing Girls’ Positive Self-Image and Self-Worth – What’s up Fagans?
2. Words that will Boost Your Child’s Self-Esteem – Joyful Family Life
3. How to Teach Your Daughter What Beauty Looks Like – Parenting Chaos
4. Values for Children: Beauty – True Aim Education
5. How to Raise a Confident Child – The Realistic Mama
6. Cultivating Solid Self Esteem in Daughters – Powerful Mothering
7. 11 Steps to Confident Kids – The Sprout Mix
8. How to Bully Proof Kids – CNN
9. Let Their Confidence Shine: 10 Ways to Teach Your Kids to Have Confidence and a Good Self-Esteem – The Things I Love Most
10. Teaching Kids to Stand up For Themselves – Teach Mama
11. How to Grow Self-Confidence in Your Children by Teaching Them Perseverance – A Mother Far From Home
12. Healthy Self-Esteem in Kids: 10 Things Parents CAN Do to Help – One Time Through

The Value of Life

1. Pro-Life for Kids: Ideas for Teaching the Sanctity of Life – Tricia Goyer
2. Teaching Children Healthy Sexuality – Focus on the Family

Work and Responsibility

1. Instilling the Value of Work in Kids – What’s up Fagans?
2. Teach Kids How to Plan Their Own Birthday Party – What’s up Fagans?
3. Teaching Your Children Entrepreneurship – Together With Family
4. Teaching Our Kids to Manage Money Early – Sunshine and Hurricanes
5. Teach Your Child Accountability – FamilyShare
6. Teaching Preschoolers Responsibility: Going Beyond Chores – One Time Through
7. 3 Gifts Our Kids Miss When Life’s Too Easy – Mothering From Scracth
8. Top 8 Tips on How to Make Your Child Independent – Mom Junction

What values and morals do you find the hardest to teach to your kids? Or what value does your child really need to learn next?