As parents we have many roles, but the most important and fundamental of all our roles is to teach our children about values and respect.

I believe the old school values are still the backbone to how we choose to live our lives. Below are the most fundamental of all the values:

Honesty

Honesty is the glue that brings and keeps people together. If we have honesty, we will have integrity and we will also have trust. The objective is that we work on all three. They go together.

Respect

There will always be times where someone doesn’t deserve to have our respect. Respect is something earned, not something that’s a given. As children learn about respect, they will work out people for themselves by their actions and deeds and will know whether those people have earned their respect. Not everyone will deserve to have it.

Loyalty

Loyalty is another old-fashioned value that should pay dividends. As children begin to learn the difference between loyalty and blind loyalty, they will begin to see and want to choose their friends wisely. It can also be a learning curve for adults too.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To be concerned and understand how someone else feels will help us strengthen our own resolve. With empathy we will be able to see others who are less fortunate than ourselves. We must always want to help where we can and know that we can make a difference.

Finally, putting others first makes us selfless, and if followed continually, will help us mature and spiritually grow.