Ever since I began homeschooling I have heard quite a bit about "character training". All the homeschooling books talk about it, there are even entire character curriculum's out there that you can purchase. I have never really worried about it though because I felt that our scripture study and family home evenings were covering that material. A few months ago I read a book called "Help for the Harried Homeschooler" and the section on character training really impacted me. I realized that I had a very specific set of goals for my children's academics, but I was leaving their character education somewhat to chance. I decided to make a list of Character traits found in the scriptures that I wanted my children to develop in their lives and then we would spend one week to one month focusing on that trait. Here is the list I came up with:
-Honest
-True (Integrity)
-Chaste
-Benevolent
-Virtuous
-Doing good to all men (Service)
-Faith
-Hope
-Charity
-Love
-Eye single to the glory of God
-Virtue
-Knowledge
-Temperance
-Patience
-Brotherly Kindness
-Godliness
-Humility
-Diligence
President Hinkley's Be's
-Grateful
-Smart
-Clean
-True
-Humble
-Prayerful
-Positive
-Still
-Involved
We decided to start with President Hinkley's Be's. The plan is that when we first introduce the virtue we will be focusing on we read what President Hinkley had to say about it from Way to Be!
in our morning devotional. Then each day for the next couple of weeks (depending on how long it takes for the principle to sink in) we will memorize a scripture or two about that virtue and read stories or poems about it each morning in our devotional.
in our morning devotional. Then each day for the next couple of weeks (depending on how long it takes for the principle to sink in) we will memorize a scripture or two about that virtue and read stories or poems about it each morning in our devotional. We have made it all the way to Be True so far and I think it has really been beneficial for our family. We have had some good discussions and been able to focus more specifically on areas we need to improve on. Over the next few days I will try to share some of the scripture and story resources I have found to go along with each of these character traits. It is quite easy to do though. I just search on lds.org for the virtue we are studying and use the resources that are most applicable to our family. This has been one of those things that I have wondered why I didn't think of it sooner. Oh well, better late than never, right?
