Teaching Your Children Values

by Linda Eyre

ISBN 0-671-76966-9

Helping your children develop values such as honesty, trustworthiness, and self -discipline is as important a part of your chlldren's education as teaching them to read or how to cross the street safely.

The values you teach your children are their best protection from the influences of peer pressure and the temptations of consumer culture. With their own values clearly defined, your children can make their own decisions - rather than imitate their friends or the latest fashions.

In Teaching Your Children Values Richard and Linda Eyre present a practical, month-by-month program - full of proven methods for teaching values to kids of all ages. With games, family activities, and value-building exercises, this book can help you develop a family relationship that is strong, caring and supportive.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Self Help, Christian, Family, Education, Reference

242 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 1993

About the author

As writers, lecturers, and grassroots and media catalysts, Linda and Richard Eyre's mission statement is: FORTIFY FAMILIES by Popularizing Parenting, Validating Values, and Bolstering Balance. Their latest efforts in these directions are their new books, The Happy Family (St. Martins Press,), Empty Nest Parenting (Bookcraft,) and The Book of Nurturing (McGraw Hill,), and their regular appearances on The CBS Early Show.

Linda is a teacher and musician who was named by The National Council of Women as one of America's Six Outstanding Young Women. Largely because of her, the Eyre family was named the Western U. S. "Musical Family of the Year."

Richard and Linda have nine children (one of every kind) and live in Washington, D.C. and Salt Lake City.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction was kind of boring, but I LOVE what this book teaches. I've been thinking a lot lately about how to teach my kids to be good people, but it's hard coming up with ideas on how to do that. Usually I just tell them they need to and that is it. This book lists twelve values and gives specific examples of ways to teach them for different age groups. I read the first two values, and then skimmed through and read their family stories. A few of them almost moved me to tears. I want my kids to know and feel these things, and I am learning that I need to take a more active role in teaching them. If I do not get this book for Christmas, I will buy it before New Years.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got Teaching Your Children Values from the now defunct relay site. It's not a book I would normally purchase and I got it mostly for giggles. It ended up being better than I feared it would but I can't imagine actually trying any of the authors' step by step programs. We just aren't that regimented a family.

The book is broken up into twelve chapters with a new value to teach each month of the year. Along with the practical advice and personal reflections from various family members, the book has charts and games one is supposed to play with one's family. These role playing games are supposed to teach the values that I guess the children won't otherwise be able to learn. Somehow just plain old talking to my children seemed to work just fine.

To the book's credit, it doesn't bring God or religion into the mix nor does it suggest dumbing down the important talks about sex and other adult stuff. The frankness of the authors on the tougher topics and their practical advice about listening to children and teaching by example make this parenting advice book a step above the average parenting book.

[Aprill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful to give parents tips on how to teach children, and teenages about values. With each value they give lesson ideas on how to teach preschoolers, elementary age and teenagers. There are 12 values total. One for each month of the year. Or you can pick and choose based on your families values. It's a quick read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rating this a 5 because of the idea of focusing on teaching a specific value each month. We've expanded on the idea, and Annie and I are working on a binder for her PP knowledge project, full of ideas from this book, quotes, scriptures, stories from church magazines, for each monthly value. Can't wait to get started with it!

[Diana Coe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and want to start doing a monthly value like it recommends. I love the real life examples and the great teaching ideas which are categorized by age. This book is definitely going to be a good resource that I know I will use in raising my kids.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really didn't read this whole books, but I read enough to know that I am going to buy it. It is full of good ideas. I think I am going to use this as kind of a guide for our family home evenings next year. We'll focus on a different value each month. Very good stuff.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so quickly that I forgot to add it as currently reading. I previously read their book, Entitlement Trap and enjoyed it. I have added this book to my own collection because I found it to be such a valuable resource to have in the home that I will refer to often. The preface sold me on the importance of values and the daily minimum it takes to incorporate and remind kids. The remaining chapters go through 12 values, 1 a month to focus on, with ideas for all age groups and personal examples. As a busy LDS mom, while this seems like yet another to do on my list, it actually is something easy to include and worth it to me to at least try. I love systems and routines and would love to try to implement this in my own little family.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm excited to implement this in our home as well. They take one month to teach a value through quotes, stories, games, etc. I love the approach of actively focusing on the value for the month. They have some great stories in here about using this with their own family. I will adapt things to fit our family as I see fit- for example, I want to use the YW'S values along with the other values for the month. They pretty much go hand in hand. So we'll see how this goes. Was hoping to start this month...

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book works hand in hand with 3 Steps to a Stronger Family. Teaching Your Children Values helps you do just that. It sets up a system for teaching your kids with many suggested activities for different age groups. We've worked our way through this book and have used it to brain storm other ideas. Our children have responded well to the activities and we've all enjoyed the time together.

Highly recommended.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. This is one I decided just to own, it is a nice 'mini reference' since it is broken in to 12 parts- each month has a value with stories, examples, ideas and ways to teach. I am excited to implement them- I haven't set up a formal monthly system, but I have used it to teach family home evenings or things we need specifically. I think that in the next few months it will be something that I can really implement.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually got the Entitlement Trap first, and I decided to stop to read more about teaching children a new value each month. It is difficult to apply my single mother, one child scenario to their family of nine children; however, I found a lot of value in what I read. Now I'm finishing up the original text with a better understanding by far. To me, the book is valuable because I have changed my behaviors in so many ways as a parent. It's not just fluffy words. It works!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a reference book. It gives a year of lessons on values that you can teach your children. I am going to teach a value each month during family home evening. It has ideas for all different ages of children.

[Mayela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! wonderful resource for teaching your children true values. One to reread over and over.

[Beckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I read it at least once a year.

[Julie Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love everything written by the Eyre's!

[Launette Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book almost made me want to start parenting over again. I'm afraid I missed some important lessons. Wow the Eyres are amazing people with a great perspective.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just enough practical advice and real life applications within the covers of this book to spring board new focus and redication to the values of work, integrity, honesty, morality... within my family. One of our best family stories came when we were exploring the value of work for one month and we went to a resturant. We explained how Dad worked for the money, the chef worked in the back to cook our food, the waitress worked to serve us... Then our hard working waitress's tray got bumped next to our table and a plate full of steak and gravy, baked potato with all the trimmings and peas fell over the edge of her tray and all down Derek's back. I think they forgot all about the value of work in the chaos that ensued. We all had a good laugh.

[Eliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about the why values are important and how to teach them to your kids from preschool to the teen years. From the book "So much of life, in today's world, has to do with getting. Values, in contrast, have to do with being and giving."

In my own and my wife's life values have been a big part of being happy, healthy and successful so we have made teaching values a big deal in our house and in raising our kids.

You will appreciate the advice in this book if you have kids and your own values align with values such as honesty, courage, peaceability, self reliance and potential, self discipline and moderation, fidelity and chastity, loyalty and dependability, respect, love, unselfishness and sensitivity, kindness and friendliness, and justice and mercy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has great ideas for teaching different values to your kids. I was impressed with it when I first read it last year. So, this year we are choosing one value per month to work on together as a family. We use some of the ideas in this book to help our kids (or the oldest one anyway) understand the concepts. The great thing about the book is that it offers different ways of teaching the values for different age groups. Thus, it is a book that we can continue to use as our children grow older.

[Hilary Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept behind this book is to take each month and focus on a different value (or set of related values) to teach your children. It gives ideas for teaching those values to kids of all ages. I read the introduction chapters and several of the chapters on values to teach, but I quickly realized this is a book I would love to have, simply because I intend to follow it's suggestions and will need it as a reference more often than the 3-6 weeks I can have it from the library.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great practical suggestions that any good family does, or should, incorporate! This is a good book that just makes me stop and think (maybe creates a slight feeling of inadequacy, guilt and stress!) These people sound like they have the patience of JOB! All I can say is, my best is no where near theirs, so the Lord will have a much greater difference to make up! That is probably why I only had 4 kids instead of 9.

[Elasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas for teaching our children at different ages. While we didn't implement all of it (awards for behavior just didn't work for us) we did use the format of focusing on one value a month. Our kids were interested, we learned more about their perspectives, and fun discussions ensued. We will probably repeat teaching the values several times during our years as parents.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book! This book has great practical ideas for teaching preschoolers, elementary schoolers, and adolescents different values discussed in the book. I only read the preschool sections because that's what applied to me, so I haven't actually read the entire book. But what I read was fantastic.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 12 month plan on 12 values you should teach your children. It applies best to parents with a variety of aged children or at least to those who have a child who is preschool age, but I enjoyed reviewing things I can do myself and also incorporate into my parenting to help teach values to my children.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is another reference book. I have not read it cover to cover. However, I am planning to use this book for 2010 to actually teach and remind my kids of these values. Some of the values include: Honesty, Courage, Self-discipline, Loyalty, Kindness, etc. These and others are all things I like to see my kids be. Maybe I'll report back in Jan. 2011 on how it went...

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I really liked this book (which was a gift from my parents), I can't say I closely followed its suggested methods. (I'm just not that organized) It did cause me to think in a more conscious way about exactly what my values are and to keep those values present in our daily lives (btw, this book is not religious).

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I want to start teaching Colton a value a month, like this book teaches. Since he's 4, not all of these values are applicable to his life right now so I picked 6 and will teach those. I love that the book had ideas for teaching preschoolers, school-aged kids, and also teens with specific examples. I'd recommend this book to everyone with kids, no matter their ages.

[Ahlam Mustafa · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is not about giving you solutions to your problems.. but making you prepared and positive when it comes to parenting rather than waiting to fix what goes wrong and hoping things will turn out okay.

I like the examples it gives and practical ways for parents to implement these values, a nicely organized book for a long term reform.

[James Minter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very hands on, immensely practical book to help parents, teachers and guardians develop and reinforce twelve essential personal values for growing children. In the process adults get to clarify their own values, thus providing a double benefit. Buy the book when your children are very young, it never to early to start the process.

[Ali M · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have been implementing the family economy and family meetings in this book for the last year and it is working rather well.