How to build a child’s character
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
Pupils paint together. Teach children to share and care for one another. Dennis Agaba.

Home is the first school before a child starts kindergarten. This is when values and etiquette are trained. School teachers just shape and add on what the child already knows. Every parent’s joy is to see their children grow up into loving, respectful, caring, patient and hardworking people; however, it cannot workout to their expectation if these children are not given the proper foundation at an early stage.

Building character among children is when parents help children develop good morals, through social etiquitte training and proper ubringing.

A good character is one of the main factors that catalyse ones success and this needs to be groomed early enough.

As a parent, is your character worthy copying, if yes, well, and good but if you are not the exact example of what you want your child to be, you need to polish since children look up to their parents as role models, the way you talk, treat others, is how they will do. Remember, you cannot tell them to do something that you are not doing. If you want your child to talk to others calmly yet you do the opposite while speaking to people, it will not work out.

Train your child to share the little they have with friends who lack, encourage them that love is the greatest virtue. Therefore, they should love and care for others the same way they would want anyone else care for them.

Patience is what all children must be taught, at a young age it is tricky to keep a child waiting especially when they are hungry, they want to eat immediately or when they start schooling they might want to leave school before time. This leaves them yelling for attention, but talk to your child why he or she needs to stay longer at school or why his request might delay a little bit, they will eventually learn to wait.

Kindness is very vital, it should be a character your child ought to know, advise your child to say thank you if given anything from anyone, to say sorry when he or she has hurt others and most importantly treat people the same but not segregating anyone according to appearance or status.

Encourage your child to be faithful by advising them to speak the truth and to always do things the right way even when nobody is watching them. They should even know the kind of friends they should associate with. Bad friends will negatively  influence them.

Give credit whenever you find your child doing something positive, by doing so they will learn and would be glad to do so even the next time, but, also rebuke your child when you find them acting badly, for instance, fighting or insulting friends. Don’t only stop them but advise against those bad vices.