7 Ways To Raise Kind And Considerate Kids

As mothers I think we all have moments where we wonder how are kids will turn out. It’s a scary thought because the criminals you see on TV each night were once a mother’s pride and joy. Not saying all of our kids are gonna turn out to be criminals.

Just saying they could.

Creepy, right?! I know I’m not alone when I say I don’t want my kids growing up without knowing right from wrong.

I want my kids to have integrity, doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

I want my kids to practice kindness. Being a light in times of darkness.

I want them to be peaceful and happy adults who lead productive lives.

I can wish these things for my kids until I’m blue in the face. The truth is my kids need me to teach them right from wrong, right now!

Here are 7 ways to raise kind and considerate kids. 

If someone is sad try to cheer them up. Tell funny jokes. Make funny faces. Ask them to play a game with you. Watch funny videos online. Just do something, always try to leave people better than you found them.

Be patient. Teach older kids to wait. Waiting until they’ve saved enough money to buy the new pokemon card set. Wait until Christmas for that special toy. Let kids know waiting doesn’t hurt and instant gratification isn’t everything. If we continue to hand things over when our kids demand it we’ll never teach them about patience. Instead they’ll feel entitled and I’m all about not having another “entitled” generation around.

Don’t make up lies. I don’t know about you, but lying frustrates me. I don’t like lies and I don’t like exaggerations. Just tell me the truth, plain and simple. When I meet someone who I feel is a liar or I catch in a lie I immediately lose any trust in them. I almost don’t want to be their friend and I definitely will not consider becoming close friends. Kids need to know it’s not okay to lie. The truth protects them and makes us (the parents) trust them.

Practice common courtesy. Let people know if you’re running late. Say “excuse me” and “please” and “thank you.” I feel like common courtesy also means saying “I’m sorry” when you’re at fault. Teaching kids to be accountable for their actions will help them at school, with relationships and as working adults. A genuine “I’m sorry,” can make a huge difference.

Don’t just talk about yourself.  Teach kids to ask people about their day and to really listen when others talk. Teach kids to show a genuine interest in others and be happy for their accomplishments. Sometimes people can play the comparison game and become jealous when others are successful. Let’s teach our kids to put aside jealousy and comparison and instead help others celebrate the milestones in life.

Be a good listener. Try really hard not to interrupt. Listen and pay attention to what the speaker is saying. Ask questions.

Encourage others often. Teach kids to give hope to others by doing the right thing, telling the truth and cheering others on. Everything is not a competition and it’s perfectly okay to want your friends and siblings to succeed right along with you.

**Bonus** Be grateful I was running this list by my 10 year old son and said, “What about being grateful mom?” Oh man, I love this kid, I’m so glad I didn’t leave out being grateful. A few ways to teach kids to be grateful are: have them write thank you notes, ask them to state what they are grateful for at dinner or before bed, keep a gratitude journal as a family.

I hope this list is helpful to you. I know these are specific things we are working on as a family. Raising kids is an adventure full of twists and turns, tears and laughter and heartbreaks and joys. The best feeling is knowing that we’re all in this together and we’ll all pull through!

Don’t forget to visit me on Instagram. You can see all the crazy things me and my (sometimes) 6 kids are up to!

Do you get the Resource Page?

Each week I'll send you the latest Resource Page. In it, you'll find

1. Handy tips for focusing on positivity throughout your week.
2. Tricks for getting your kids to listen to your every word (just kidding,Girl-- I'm still working on getting my kids to listen!) But I will send you fun activity ideas for you and your kids to do together.
3. Useful tools that I come across, like meal planning ideas and such!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

First Name

Email Address

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.

I'd like to receive the free email course. Subscribe Powered by Kit