How to Teach Your Child to Make Good Choices: Your Child and the Power to Choose

Every child has the power to choose. Making good choices seems to come naturally to some children, particularly to those whose parents, siblings and other family members consistently make good choices.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) suggested,

“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there will be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”

With this thought in mind, consider the following with respect to how to teach children to make good choices during his or her early years.

Parental guidance:

Life is full of choices and parental guidance is extremely important when it comes to children. Doing the right thing or something that is not right are both feasible options for a child, but so is the choice of doing nothing. At times, a child who does not know what to do will wait for his or her parents to help him or her with making the right choice. For example, a child offered something to eat or drink may not know what to do. Should he or she accept it? He or she instinctively seeks guidance from his or her parents.

Early choices for children:

Making choices begins very early in the life of a child. Many of the choices he or she makes are not conscious choices, but he or she soon learns that there may be rewards and punishments associated with making choices. For example, a child has the choice of going to bed on time or staying up late. The child, who goes to bed on time, awakens happy and refreshed. One who does not, awakens cranky and tired. A young child may not realize a choice is necessary or the reward-punishment consequences associated with his or her choice, while an older child will have some degree of understanding.

When in doubt, do what is right.

Making choices is not always easy for a child. A child may be in a dilemma if he or she does not know what is right or wrong. When there is no parental guidance, the child may look for the guidance of others, like siblings or peers. Trying to make the right choice may mean that he or she has to make a choice entirely on his or her own. When in doubt, do what is right, is a good rule of thumb to teach children early in life, as the choices of others are not always right or appropriate.

Setting a good example:

Consistently setting a good example for a child is important. Allowing and encouraging him or her to make choices and discussing them together, is another way to teach children how to make good choices, throughout their lives. Rewarding good choices imprints on a child’s mind the importance of doing what is right. Lack of re-enforcement causes a child to look more seriously at his or her choices.

Remember that learning how to make good choices is a process every child goes through. Even older children, teens and adults make choices that are questionable at times, so allow room for error. Forgiveness is important. Regardless of his or her choices, your child needs to know that he is loved and respected. 

Empower your child by teaching him or her to make good choices.