| Before I became a father, I was a son, a | | | | excuses, but in general they need to apply |
| brother, and a nervous misguided child with | | | | our first principle, Honesty, and learn to |
| no self esteem and no clue what life was all | | | | tell it like it is. This is particularly |
| about. My father told me how big of a mess up | | | | important in our children's school work. They |
| I was and I soon came to believe him. My | | | | must understand that they are the ones who |
| mother gave me love and encouragement and | | | | need to make sure their homework's done. This |
| through her came the faith and belief that I | | | | doesn't excuse us parents from participating |
| was a good person with a good heart, and I | | | | actively with our children's school work, it |
| was put on this Earth to do good things. My | | | | only means that it's their obligation to know |
| mother and her mother as well, had very | | | | their homework assignment, to bring home |
| strong standards and principles pertaining to | | | | their study book, to do ALL their homework, |
| loving each other and treating everyone with | | | | and to be sure to turn it in to their |
| respect and compassion. Here are the 5 most | | | | teachers. If they aren't fully adhering to |
| important ideals that I grew up with and | | | | our first principle of honesty, we can expect |
| still apply to this very day. These are the | | | | that our children will eventually fall into |
| values that shape our children's character. | | | | trouble at school, and as parents we must |
| These are a set of principles that they too | | | | hold them accountable and not allow excuses |
| will one day give this gift to their own | | | | or finger pointing. They messed up. They |
| children. Let's start with Honesty.HONESTY: | | | | messed up and that's part of life. We make |
| The first and possibly the most important | | | | mistakes and we suffer the consequences, but |
| principle of them all. The later in life that | | | | we must teach them a valuable lesson is to be |
| a child understands the importance of being | | | | learned here.RESPECT FOR OTHERS: When |
| honest, the more likely they are to find | | | | teaching our children important life |
| themselves in many situations that are | | | | principles, it is imperative to set an |
| painful and discomforting. They must | | | | example of respect for others. Our children |
| understand that there are no exceptions to | | | | must understand that we are not to judge, |
| the rule, such as white lies, withholding the | | | | criticize, label, disrespect, or hold |
| truth, or not telling things the way they | | | | prejudice towards any individual based on |
| really happened. Honesty leads on into our | | | | their looks, religion, financial status, |
| second principle.ACCOUNTABILLITY: It may | | | | beliefs or disabilities. This lesson must be |
| sound harsh, but children must learn to take | | | | taught by example, and should strictly be |
| responsibility for their actions. Our kids | | | | dealt with right away when these problems |
| have all the excuses in the world, although | | | | arise, and believe me they will arise. We |
| they forget that we were kids too and we've | | | | must teach them that we are children of God |
| pretty much heard it all. They have to | | | | and our purpose here is to love each other |
| realize that there are very few legitimate | | | | and to help one another. |