4 Simple But Effective Ways to Improve Your Child’s Character

I’m Virginia school assembly performer Joe Romano. I’ve delivered spellbinding and educational school assemblies to schools in VA, and surrounding areas. Each month, I add two articles to my blog designed to help busy parents and school administrators.

Before I address these simple ways to improve your child’s character, I want to touch on why good character matters.

Good Character for Essential Happiness

People who practice good character are happier throughout life. They have an easier time getting along with others. They tend to have more empathy. And this helps in careers, too. Most of us don’t work alone.

Want to get along with co-workers and have a prosperous life? Develop good character. That means seeing things from someone else’s point of view. Learning to compromise. In short, good character is the road to success!

So how do we help improve kids’ character? Below are four simple ways…

Raising Kids with Character Tip #1: Learn to Say No

Some kids are spoiled. There’s no way to sugarcoat it! But that doesn’t mean the child’s parents wanted it to happen. Parenting is a skill that you learn by doing. The books, courses, and other resources are great, but at the end of the day, parents just gotta do the best they can.

And some parents simply want to give their kids the best life possible. Maybe some of these parents grew up in a household where money was in short supply. Maybe these parents want to give their kids a better life than what they had.

That’s admirable, but never saying “no” to your child is a recipe for disaster. Learn to say “no” so your child doesn’t grow up believing that everything is handed to them.

Raising Kids with Character Tip #2: Model Good Behavior

Want to know a secret? Social media is opening the floodgates to bad behavior.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t such a secret!

But rampant social media use has given everyone a voice. Paraphrasing Andy Warhol, it’s easier than ever to get your 15 minutes in the limelight. With this never-ending means of having an audience has come a noted lack of control!

Want your child to grow up into a balanced, well-adjusted person? Show them the right way to live. Spread kindness not negativity on social media. Remember to say “please” and “thank you” in real life.

This may sound like a ridiculous, even easy point to make. But as our society becomes more self-involved in our mobile devices, the shorthand we use in the virtual world seeps into our ‘real’ life interactions too.

Show your child how to be a person of good character by example. It’s that simple.

Raising Kids with Character Tip #3: Praise Good Behavior

It’s easy to forget that children arrive in this world with practically no instincts. They have to learn practically every behavior they are going to use for the rest of their lives! One of the easiest ways to help your children sculpt their behavior is through acknowledgment.

Praise your child for good character. Encourage them when they make a good choice.

Many parents’ knee-jerk reaction is to praise their child’s accomplishments. Telling your child that you’re proud when they accomplish something difficult is one thing. But don’t restrict yourself to just praising accomplishments. This sends the message that only the result matters.

Instead, be sure to single out your child’s efforts. Praise them for helping others. Or resisting the temptation to take shortcuts in life.

Give your child positive feedback for the road they take, not just the destination.

Raising Kids with Character Tip #4: Thank You Notes

When was the last time you received a handwritten thank you note? It probably made a big impression on you.

Handwritten thank-you notes may seem old-fashioned, but it doesn’t mean they should go extinct. Taking the time to craft a thank you note, even a quick one, is an investment of time and effort. It may be minimal effort, but it’s still more than the time it takes to send an email or digital thank you note.

And a real thank you note is tactile…more real. It makes an impression. Teaching your child this simple practice will help them show gratitude and appreciate the effort it takes to show gratitude.

Good Character…For Your Entire School?

Want a fun way to introduce good character to everyone in your entire school? My “The Magic in You” school assembly is perfect to start your school year off on the right note. With eye-popping magic, interactive fun, hilarious kid-friendly comedy, and more, it’s the perfect opportunity to give your school critical character education concepts. Contact me today for more information.