The Moral Development Of Children

Parents can begin to see the moral development of their children as early as 6 months of age. Even then, infants can distinguish between right and wrong.

Moral development: What is it affected by?

Influential psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Sigmund Freud believed that children were born without any kind of moral conscience. During the first months, however, mainly due to socialization, children develop a sense of morality. This allows them to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong.

These world-famous thinkers put forward various theories about the moral development of children. However, they agreed that moral development is a process that takes place thanks to socialization and the learning of norms that govern society. Morality grows in each individual during several different phases of life.

The development of morality is strongly dependent on the norms that a child receives from his family. Values ​​such as respect, tolerance and good behavior are a fundamental part of sound moral development.

Important aspects for the moral development of children

As I said, the moral development begins already at the age of 6 months. For this development to take place, parents and other close family members and friends must be involved in the children’s upbringing and learning process.

Children need to learn basic values ​​that help them participate in society.

There are several important steps that parents and teachers need to take to optimize children’s moral development:

• Adults must actively teach rules and standards of conduct, both at home and in other environments.
• In order for children to be able to absorb what the adults say, the adults must explain the reasons behind different rules. At the same time, they must learn that there are consequences to breaking the rules.
• The best way to strengthen this learning is to lead by example. It is not enough for parents to just talk to their children and explain the difference between right and wrong. They must also be role models. This is the most effective teaching method of all.

• It is not easy for children to understand concepts such as compassion, respect and tolerance, etc. Teaching these values ​​through practice and your own example is very important.

We recommend that you always try to praise and reinforce your children’s good behaviors. However, they must also understand that their actions have consequences. Consequences are the best way to help a child develop a healthy moral character.

The role of the school and the environment in children’s moral development

It is true that parents and close family members are an essential part of the moral development of children. But school, friends and classmates also play a key role.

Growing up, parents are not always the children’s main reference points. The values ​​that parents have instilled in their children are often distorted or distorted in social contexts. It is therefore important that parents stay involved and attentive.

Remember that it is important to keep track of what your children see on TV and in the media. It is best for children to only watch content that is appropriate for their age.

Children may come after people they admire and idolize – singers, actors and athletes, etc. But experts argue that this message is not powerful enough to change the values ​​they have learned at home.

In summary, moral development is a process. It begins through socialization and the norms that parents teach at home.