A recent case of mass molestation of women in Bangalore on New Year’s Eve, followed by chauvinistic comments from a political leader, has sparked vehement outrage, calling on parents to advise their sons instead of their daughters on proper behaviour. This is just one of the more conspicuous instances where the popular opinion demands that parents emphasise values during their kids’ upbringing. There are many more less subtle examples which demonstrate that the present world is moving more and more away from a principle-based life.

In today’s competitive environment, parents start planning for their kids’ future from before birth. They worry about everything from the right diet to the best schools. And the importance of developing a child’s core on the foundation of strong principles is forgotten some where along the rat race. The benefit of strong values is intangible but the happiest and most content people in the world are those who know their core principles and live by them.

I am no authority on raising kids but having been raised as a person with strong ethics myself, I take the liberty in suggesting two ways to instill values in children.

1. As a parent, understand and acknowledge to oneself the importance of strong principles over all else for a good quality of life. If you don’t believe it, your children definitely won’t either.
2. Lead by example. Growing up, every kid treats his/her dad and mom as the ultimate heroes and they try to emulate them more than anyone else. Be the hero they think you are.

What this world needs today is good people. Raising a kid to be one may not win us any awards but the goodness that spreads from that one individual will create an immeasurable positive impact on countless others.