Role Models

• Model healthy behavior for your child, and always keep discussion channels open.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  No one provides a child with clearer examples of good morals and strong values than his parents. Children remember and imitate nearly everything they see their moms and dads do. The simplest way to start your child on a path toward building strong character is to act like the person you want her to be. Work hard, keep a clean home, eat right, use polite language and be helpful to others. Children will discover more role models as they get older. These might include relatives, friends, teachers and celebrities. While you cannot choose your child's role models, you can discuss positive character traits with him, and guide him toward finding them in the people he associates with and looks up to.
  
  

Religion and Spirituality

• Morals and values are typically the first religious beliefs taught to children.Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Almost all religions teach morals and values to their followers. Children who are exposed to these teachings benefit from strong foundations on which to structure compassionate belief systems. Sunday school and other religion classes allow children to better understand the importance of morals and values. Organize family conversations about teachings and scripture that outline positive morals and values. Apply these discussions when moral decisions come up in everyday life. Your children will quickly begin to understand how their religion promotes and rewards kindness. Families who are non-religious can achieve the same benefits by discussing spirituality with their children, or simply explaining and exemplifying the golden rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
  
  

Storytelling

• Children take their favorite books, movies and songs to heart. They want to hear their favorite stories countless times, and if they aren't listening to them, they are repeating them. Media can be used to teach morals and values to children without making the learning experience a chore. Stories with clear morals are common in most children's literature and entertainment. Favorite characters often star in books, movies and songs that emphasize the importance of morals and values. After your child listens to one of these stories, discuss it with him: Identify the moral of the story and ask him how he can apply it to events in his own life.
  
  

Community Service

• Children are hands-on learners. They remember the lessons learned from experiences they've actually participated in, especially if they had fun in the process. Teaching a child to be a good citizen can be as simple as getting him out doing his favorite things, and explaining how his actions help the community. If your child loves animals, take her to walk dogs and clean cages at an animal shelter. If your child plays on a sports team, help him organize a canned food drive with his teammates. After participating in a community service activity with your child, discuss how your actions directly impacted others, and how good it feels to have been so helpful.
  
  

Rewards and Discipline

• Morals and values are instilled in children when they learn that actions have consequences. Showing good character earns rewards, while displaying bad character brings about punishment. While children should be rewarded for doing good deeds, this is not to be confused with compensating them for everyday chores. To avoid the implication that good morals and values are paid assets, be careful with how you provide rewards. When you see your child engaging in extraordinarily good citizenship, explain that you appreciate and admire her actions. Tell her that although she's expected to always do good deeds, you'd like to give her a special treat this time. Choose a reward besides money or material items. A family outing or favorite meal shows you appreciate her behavior. When you observe your child showing a lack of sound morals and values, institute punishment to help him understand his behavior is unacceptable. Punishment will vary by age and location, but usually involves some sort of time out or removal from activities, accompanied by a discussion about why her actions were wrong and how she can improve in the future.