parents are like mirror to their own kids

Today, I was watching a Television commercial about a mother driving her daughter home from school. The daughter poked her tongue out to some kid on the street and her mother said to her. "I thought you're friends with him." The daughter said to her mother, "no, he's a bloody idiot". Mother replied, "where do you learned such filth?

Syddenly, they almost had a car accident with a speeding vehicle coming towards them. The mother turn around screaming at the driver "you bloody stupid idiot can't you see I have a kid on the car. They had dinner on that evening and dad said to the daughter " your mother is a good cook". The daughter replied "bloody oath".

The moral of the story is that the mother is like a mirror to her daughter. She is the reflection of her own child. Being a parent is the most important and complex task on the planet. Mum and Dad are the first and most important educators in a childs life. Unfortunately, children don't come with instruction manuals.

Many research have done on parental guidance and how to raise up kids. Much have been written by professionals and people with experince. Not to mention ongoing scientific research about emotional and psychological health of children and families. Celebrity talk shows such as Dr Phil, Oprah Winfrey have raised the issue on family values, problem kids and parental guidance.

But what has yet to be adressed is -how to exposed the spiritual virtues within our children. Virtues are described as the qualities of the soul and the attributes of God such as kindness, love, respect, trust, excellence and caring are within each and everyone of us.

So how can we put these virtues into practice?

Here are 4 key principles:

1. Parent is the first educator of the child - A parent is a trustee, a guardian, a steward who is here to love and guide this new person, particularly in the early years. Research shows that children brains begin learning, actually processing information, even before birth.
2. Children natural qualities can develop into postive or negative traits depending on how they are educated in early age - This is one of my favourite subject. Children are born with potential abilities to be a better person or not. They are born with all the virtues, the gifts within, waiting to grow. Lets take that TV commercial in the beginning as an example, it common sense to say that if a child grows up in a home where swearing is a everday habit than he or she will continue to do the same. But if that child grow up in a patience evironment than it will be the opposite.
3. Character develops as children learn to make responsible, moral choices - The child himself must choose to respond to the opportunities in his life. Choice is at the core of moral will. There is nothing more delightful than the pride of purposefulness when children learn to tie their shoes or ride a bicycle, the confidence when they present anything infront of their classmates. A child making you a birthday present, even though it just a scrible drawing in a piece of paper, brings a feeling of true fulfillment. "I made it myself, Mom!" So the idea is to let them be responsible, don't do anything for them if they already know how to do it. But encouraging them every step of the way.
4. Self-esteem is a natural outcome of living by spiritual principles - Authentic self esteem and real happiness come naturally as children experince the using of virtues.