By Omowumi Olarewaju Aduwo

Numerous issues in today’s world have the potential to weaken society’s moral foundation. Hence, the duty of raising virtuous children is to be taken seriously. Forging healthy relationships, making moral decisions, and nurturing virtues like honesty, empathy, resilience, and kindness are crucial. This article intends to give parents and caregivers steps on how to teach these values in children despite the challenges the outside world presents.

The virtue ethic theory of Aristotle emphasises the importance of cultivating virtuous character trait as a means of achieving eudemonia (human flourishing). This ethics focus on developing virtues that reflect on one’s character and cultivating of virtue overtime. Virtuous means having a consistent moral character while vicious means immoral character or depravity. Our present society is characterised by prevalent moral decadence. So, the responsibility of raising children that will help improve the society remains a focal point for parents.

When the question of how to raise virtuous children arises, the general notion mostly pours the blame on government, society, and religion. My perspective on this subject gravitates towards the parents because parents set the foundation for their children’s lives before they are incorporated into the society.

Parents should be conscious of their responsibility as their children’s first role model. Also, charity begins at home. To do a near perfect job in raising virtuous children, parents should know that children are very observant so they pick most of their early habits from home and these habits tend to metamorphose into die hard habits that turn out to become a huge yardstick to how they function in the society at large.

Parents need to establish clear family values and follow them strictly. This helps to provide a solid template for decision making. Parents should also maintain an open line of communication; that is they should be accessible to the children at all times. This aims to provide a safe home for your children, where they express themselves without fear of judgement and bias. Listening attentively to their thoughts, concerns, fears, experiences and thoughtfully providing guide to the smallest issues they have will go a long way in moulding them into adults who will exhibit virtues.

This gives your children sense of belonging, self-esteem and self-love which help build strong and formidable personality. Also, it will help them to cope with challenges and setbacks in the healthiest way.

Parents must equip their children with real life skills and create awareness that can help them make informed decision when they are not there. It will encourage them to evaluate situations before making decisions which should align with their moral standards.

Parents should create awareness on media literacy, peer pressures and real life ethical dilemmas. Point out the pros and cons of the media, then teach them to discern between positive and negative influences of the media and discuss medias that help their mindset and society. Also, discuss peer pressure and how to develop assertive skills to resist negative peer pressures. Teach them that standing against what is wrong is an act of strength. Tell them real life stories that relate to the vices in the society and point out the consequences. This will help them to consider the consequences of their actions before doing them.

Involve your children in community services and volunteer works. This helps to understand the importance of contributing to the society and inspiring their sense of empathy towards other people’s perspectives and how their decisions can impact others to show kindness and compassion. Recognise when your children demonstrate a virtuous behaviour and applaud it. Also create opportunities to reflect on their actions and the effect on their lives and others. This helps them to stick to ethical choices and improve awareness and growth.

In conclusion, raising virtuous children is not a walk in the park. It is a continuous process till they are well groomed to make independent informed decisions that will benefit them and society. It requires a lot of patience, adaptability, understanding, strategising and actively engaging in your children’s life by constantly providing guidance and displaying a strong foundation of virtues.

Aduwo writes from the Department of English, Lagos State University.