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