Family Values

Since we are children and as we grow up in the protective bosom of a family, certain norms, principles and customs are instilled in us that will determine the way in which we will subsequently behave when interacting with other people. They are family values and then we are going to see carefully what they are, what type there are or what are the main ones.

Definition of family values

The family values are defined as those principles, norms and customs , both moral and ethical , that, within the family unit , parents teach their children. They are positive values ​​such as honesty or loyalty but also negative values ​​such as banality or self-centeredness. And they are the ones that will make a person face in one way or another the different social situations that can be found.

Types of family values

When it comes to classifying the different family values ​​by type, we must know that they affect the different situations in which an individual will be involved. Thus, these values, in addition to being familiar, will be of the following types:

• Personal: these types of values ​​will influence the decisions we make throughout our lives. They are values ​​such as sincerity or kindness.
• Morales: Thanks to these values ​​we can know what is right and what is wrong because they are related to the norms and customs that we learn throughout our lives. Gratitude, friendship, or kindness are such values.
• Social: they are those that mark the way in which we live and interact.
• Universal: they are the values ​​that a person has and that serve to leave a mark on others. The effect of these values ​​is positive and some examples are respect or solidarity.
• Professionals: these values ​​will affect the way in which we carry out a job and will define the performance we perform in it. Some examples of these types of values ​​are commitment or responsibility.

Main family values

Next we are going to see what are the main family values that parents transmit to their children, we have tried to choose only 6 , but finally we are going to propose a list with the 12 most important family values :

• Joy:  This value arises from self-improvement, from sharing the successes achieved by other family members, from leading a balanced life, and from maintaining a healthy body and mind.
• Self-esteem: it is essential to accept and love yourself. It serves to know what we are capable of and what we are not.
• Commitment:  value is related to responsibility and consists of giving your word and keeping it when doing something, such as picking up toys.
• Communication:  parents are responsible for our learning to communicate correctly. It is up to them that we are polite to speak and not interrupt others.
• Gratitude: to give thanks is learned in the family. When our sibling or our parents help us with something that is difficult for us, we learn to show our gratitude.
• Humility: it  is one of the most important values ​​that parents transmit to us because it makes us see that we are all equal and helps us to see the strengths of others, as well as their weaknesses, causing us not to believe ourselves superior.
• Justice:  this value refers both to respecting others and to making each one obtain what they are entitled to.
• Loyalty: it  is a recognized bond that is established for the first time in the family environment and that shows the union and mutual recognition of the different members.
• Patience: it  helps us to take things more calmly, to analyze what is happening calmly and to make the most appropriate decision.
• Belonging:  thanks to this value we feel that we are part of the same family unit.
• Forgiveness:  to forgive is something that is learned from very early stages to solve conflicts that may arise with siblings or parents.
• Respect: it  is in the family where we learn to respect others, their opinions and feelings.

How they differ from school values

The school values are those that people develop during their school years . These values, which are acquired in schools, enhance family values ​​and allow people to socialize better and also achieve better professional performance .

The main deference between school values ​​and family values lies in the environment in which those values ​​are acquired. Family members are acquired in the family environment, while schoolchildren are developed in schools.

Examples

Next, we are going to see some examples of family values as well as some situations in daily life in which they are present.

Traditional family values

Although there are more and more voices that defend that the traditional family does not exist and that these types of values ​​are a myth (Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury) , these values ​​refer to those that are related to the more traditional and conservative family, composed of a father and a mother.

Family values ​​at Christmas

The Christmas is one of the times of the year where family values make more sense . Values ​​such as generosity, friendship, solidarity, gratitude, forgiveness, joy or union, are just some examples of the values ​​that have the most presence during these holidays.

Actions we take daily remind us of family values

• Help prepare a family member’s birthday party.
• Come home early to be with your parents before they go to sleep.
• Accompany your little brothers to school.
• Prepare food for your mother when she is sick.
• Help clear the table after eating.

Other examples of family values

In addition to those that we have already indicated, there are other values that are transmitted from an early age by parents , such as:

• The dialogue.
• Spirituality.
• The identity.
• The traditions.