Honesty:
Teaching the value of honesty to children is part of the development of moral and emotional strength. The quality of honesty helps to develop character and solid self-esteem.
“If children live with Honesty, they learn truthfulness”. Without Honesty it would be difficult to uphold any other virtue. By learning to be honest and truthful, children understand the value of integrity and trust in their relationships. They develop the courage to look at themselves and their situations honestly, and to truthfully address their roles and responsibilities.
What does honesty look like? An honest person is also truthful, sincere, fair, trustworthy and genuine. An honest person also shows integrity and honor.
When you practice honesty you…
* Do the right thing (integrity).
* Follow-through. You can be counted on to do what you say you’ll do (trustworthy).
* Won’t take things you don’t deserve like awards, praise, money, credit for ideas, etc. (fairness and honor).
* Mean what you say and don’t say something you don’t mean (sincere and truthful).
* Are the real you! You won’t exaggerate or pretend to be someone you’re not (genuine).
Respect
Respect for Self:
Self-respect grows out of our earliest experiences of receiving care and attention from the most important people in our lives-from our families, caregivers, teachers, and others. When we know that others value us, we begin to think of ourselves as valuable, and we begin to honor and respond to our own needs and feelings, which is a good working definition of self-respect.
As we grow older, self-respect involves an increasing self-awareness-a knowledge of our particular gifts and limitations, and an understanding and acceptance of our many personal, social, and cultural identities. With self-respect, we have the ability to accept life’s challenges, to forgive ourselves when we make mistakes or fall short of our own or others’ expectations, and to enjoy and care for our body, mind, and spirit.
Respect for Others:
Such a view of respect requires attentiveness to individuals and groups of people (not positions). It encourages our increased engagement with others, for getting to know someone is key to deepening our respect for him or her. Curiosity, a willingness to learn, and empathy thus become components of respecting others.
Respect and Courtesy:
Elizabeth James and Carol Barkin sum up the double purpose of good manners: “The underlying purpose of every system of etiquette,” they write, “is the same: treating people with respect and consideration in order to make society run smoothly” and “acknowledging that other people have feelings and deserve respect.”
Acts of “common courtesy” and politeness are ways to show people that we care about them; they are among the simplest and most straightforward ways to show respect. Knowing how to handle social situations graciously-whether the circumstances are ordinary or awkward-increases our confidence and self-respect … and certainly makes the day go more smoothly for all of us!
Respect and Boundaries:
Limits are as important as openness in relationships based on respect. Self-respect includes setting boundaries around how we want to be treated. What do we need in order to feel that our body, our belongings, and our selves are respected? Respect for others means that we notice and respect their boundaries, too. Such respect is based on the recognition of the other’s integrity-her or his wholeness as a separate person.
Respect for Places and Things:
Places and belongings have their own integrity that calls for our respect. History, function, and personal memory all contribute to the meanings and value we associate with different places and objects. Respecting another’s belongings is a way of respecting her or his boundaries; it shows that we care how she or he feels about these belongings or personal property. Respecting the integrity of a place means that we will behave differently on a playground, for instance, than we will in a sanctuary or place of worship. The same themes underlie these differences: to be respectful, we must pay attention to the needs of the space and of all the creatures (humans included) who inhabit or use that space.
Happiness
Happiness can be learned, but finding meaning and a purpose in life is what leads to it, not the other way around. The happiest people appreciate and realise that being happy adds years to their life, and life to their years
Happy people:
ACCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE : Research shows that happy people have modest levels of expectation and aspirations — they want what they can get — while unhappy people never seem to get what they want. They also know how to avoid disappointments and how to generate pleasant surprises. This is because they strive for realistic goals and are happy with their lot.
ENJOY WHAT YOU DO: Happy people do what they enjoy and enjoy what they do — and don’t do it for the money or glory. There’s no point being stuck in a job you hate, surrounded by unfriendly colleagues just because the money is good — people forget that they are allowed to be happy at work, too. Many spend the best years of their lives trying to make money, sacrificing their health and family in the process, says Dr Garcia Vega. Later, they spend the same money they made working trying to recover their lost health and estranged family.
LIVE FOR TODAY: Don’t dwell on the past, on things that went wrong or previous failures. Similarly, don’t dream about an idealised future that doesn’t exist or worry about what hasn’t happened yet. Happy people live for the now; they have positive mind sets.
CHOOSE HAPPINESS: Don’t be afraid to step back and re-evaluate your goals. Imagine your life as a story that you can edit and revise as you go along. This kind of flexible approach requires positive thinking and an open mind — you need to actively choose to be happy.
RELATIONSHIPS: We get our happiness from other people, and from supporting other people. Remember that just as other people can make us happy, we are all ‘other people’ to someone else. And cherish people who are important to you. Research also shows that married people are happier than single people.
STAY BUSY: If you want to be happier, develop an outgoing, social personality — accept that drinks invitation, join the walking club, book group or choir. The best way to savour pleasure is in the company of others. Build a rich social life because it is rewarding, meaningful and fun. Active, busy, social people are the healthiest and happiest, in society. Get involved: make your motto ‘use it or lose it.’
DON’T COMPARE: Focus on your goals and dreams so you can enjoy your ambition and achievements.
BE YOURSELF: Happy people are spontaneous, natural and real; they say what they think and feel, and aren’t concerned what others think of them. Being oneself makes one feel free and authentic.
STOP WORRYING: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Happy people don’t worry and they recognise that 90 per cent of worries never come true.
GET ORGANISED: Happy people plan and organise, they have goals and a purpose. You can only get what you want or desire if you know what it is you want or desire in the first place. So while those chilled-out friends might seem happy, they’re actually just drifting along.
THINK POSITIVE : Bottling up emotions and bad feelings creates psychological distress and physical discomfort. Happy people get things off their chest, their motto is: get rid of it, or it will get rid of you. Similarly, work at developing optimistic thinking; happy people always look on the bright side. Optimism is the mind’s natural self-defence mechanism against depression
Family
Families may be based on different kinds of adult relationships but the thing they have in common is that they provide a sense of belonging. They give identity and provide support and security. Your family is made up of the people you care about and the people who care about you.
Family members are amongst those few people in the world, who will genuinely feel for you and worry about you. They will always be there for you, to fall back upon, when you have been disillusioned with the outside world. They accept you with your mistakes and weaknesses and still love you. Those who are able to understand this, lead a secure life & those who don’t, remain disenchanted with life forever!
Community
Community – is where I experience belonging and acceptance
Community – means a sense of belonging and feeling valued and something I can contribute to.
Community – is bigger than family and is a place where I feel safe, comfortable and important.
Each pre school should be seen not only as an ―educational institution but also as a rich collection of specific resources which can be used for strengthening the social and economic fabric of the entire community. At the same time, educators must see their local community as active, strong and full of assets. Successful communities come in all shapes and sizes, all economic levels, urban and rural, and they possess many assets, which, once mobilized and connected make community life rich and vibrant.