Character traits is one of the most important subjects my children will ever learn. Everything from kindness to compassion, gentleness to cheerfulness, truthfulness to hospitality. There are so many character traits to learn that I simply cannot name them all.
Having all boys adds an extra twist to studying character traits. Boys don’t naturally have gentleness and hospitality. Teaching them how to harness these traits and use them to show others about God is essential. Without kindness and truthfulness and compassion, people will not see God in you.
One of my all time favorite resources for training my boys in character building is Character Building For Families. I found this book when my oldest son was just 3 years old. Although it is a little above that level, he is now almost 8 years old and there are 2 more boys added to the mix. It is perfect for Biblical lessons on character building.
The book is comprised of an introduction and a “how-to” section. Then moves right into each character trait. The lessons begin with a Bible reading (either a verse or small part of a book and chapter). Each character trait study gets the student very involved. It makes you think about how the Bible uses each one and how it applies to our own lives. There are a few other Bible verses to read and a story or sentence to make you able to relate to it. At the end of each lesson there is a prayer suggestion.
I was so surprised at how well my children enjoyed this book. They were able to grasp the concepts very quickly and followed along in each lesson. They asked questions and began incorporating the character traits into their lives. We still have a long way to go but they have a great starting point because of Character Building For Families.
