Cherish Your Children Teach Them Your Values

Mike, age five, hurried behind his mother into the store. 

 

"I have to get some milk and bananas for breakfast in the morning," said Mother.

Mike helped his mother pick out the best bunch of bananas and scurried behind her to the aisle to choose the milk.

The checkout line was long. 

Mike looked at the candy bars as they got closer to the cashier. He sniffed them. The chocolate smelled so good. He ran her fingers over them.  He was tired from playing outside and wanted a treat. He glanced up at his mother who was talking to the lady behind her in the line. Mike slipped a chocolate bar into his pocket. He would eat it when he got to the car."

When they left the store, Mike said to his mother, "Look Mother, I got a candy bar."

"Oh, Mike," said Mother. "We didn't pay for it."

"It's okay," said Mike. "The store lady smiled at me. She will let me have it."

Mother explained to Mike that they needed to pay for the things they got at the store, and they went back into pay for the candy bar.

That night Mother and Dad sat with Mike to be sure he understood that they had to pay for the things at the store. Dad suggested that they give Mike some money for helping with some of the household chores. He made his bed and helped with the dishes everyday just because he lived in the house, but if he wanted to help clean the bathroom mirrors and take out the garbage he could earn some money to buy himself a candy bar if he wanted one.

Their informal family council meeting taught Mike:

1.         I have to pay for what I get.

2.         I can earn money for what I want.

3.         I can work hard.

The family council meeting sent Mike the message:

You cherish me enough to teach me your family values.

You respect me enough to help me learn from my mistakes.