What are the Twelve Things You’d Most Like Your Children to Know?

Okay, Folks,

I could use your help here.

I was skating along today, bemoaning the fact that I just didn’t know if I was getting certain moral ideas through to my kids, and I realized that I had a wonderful opportunity to do just that! I’m running a roleplaying game with my kids and a friend and I realized I could send them on a Pilgrim’s Progress-like journey where they visited places that required them to learn/exhibit various moral qualities. My mom told me stories something like this when I was a kid…a series of stories that had different connected adventures. I was five and I still remember them. So, this may be the opportunity of a lifetime!

The game we are running has some ‘unused real estate’ a place called the Moral Realm that has 12 cities in it. Nothing more than this is known about the Moral Realm. So, I’ve decided to send the kids on a journey through this realm that will take them through these twelve places. Each place will represent something like "Loving others" or "Honesty" and will contain a heraldic creature (for Orville’s Pokemon Trainer to capture) that will represent one of the 12 Boy Scout virtues. (What better way to help him learn the Scout Law?)

So, my question is: what should these twelve things be? What twelve ideas/virtues/commandments-Beatitudes/principles would you most want to put across to your children?

I should add: Don’t feel you have to list 12!  Even the five things, or the one thing, you most think you would want a child to know would be welcomed!

 

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38 thoughts on “What are the Twelve Things You’d Most Like Your Children to Know?

  1. There’s the 8 virtures from the Ultima games, honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality and humility, and the three principles, truth, love and courage.

  2. Self discipline and self mastery are the least emphasized virtues in our present culture (even derided).

    Although I know from read John’s journal that they must get emphasis in your home. :)

    • Alas, our children may be the least self-disciplined creatures on the planet.

      This is partially due to a failurue of parenting and partially due to their own nature and challenges. Still, it is a virtue I value and have recently begun discussing with them. Orville even gave his Pokemon a lecture on the importance of discipline in a roleplaying game. I consider this progress.

      …The Cherubim just went by with a plastic dog bone in his mouth…no idea where it came from.

  3. Truth/Honesty is up there. Treating people with respect and dignity, no matter what. Personally, I’d put something in there about the kind of Faith that makes miracles happen. Hope/Courage. And then just various virtues … Patience, Generosity, Prudence, Temperance, Justice, Mercy, Humility. I think that would be my list.

  4. There’s the 8 virtures from the Ultima games, honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality and humility, and the three principles, truth, love and courage.

  5. 1) Being polite will get you further than being smart or educated.
    2) Telling the truth/doing something good to hurt someone is as bad or worse as a lie or doing something *bad* in order to hurt folks.
    3) You’re only as honest as you act when you know you won’t be caught.
    4) Friends, real friends, are family that you choose.
    5) Family should be loved, even when they hurt you, even when they annoy you.
    6) Try to help; make sure you know enough not to cause harm while helping.

  6. Self discipline and self mastery are the least emphasized virtues in our present culture (even derided).

    Although I know from read John’s journal that they must get emphasis in your home. :)

  7. Alas, our children may be the least self-disciplined creatures on the planet.

    This is partially due to a failurue of parenting and partially due to their own nature and challenges. Still, it is a virtue I value and have recently begun discussing with them. Orville even gave his Pokemon a lecture on the importance of discipline in a roleplaying game. I consider this progress.

    …The Cherubim just went by with a plastic dog bone in his mouth…no idea where it came from.

  8. Truth/Honesty is up there. Treating people with respect and dignity, no matter what. Personally, I’d put something in there about the kind of Faith that makes miracles happen. Hope/Courage. And then just various virtues … Patience, Generosity, Prudence, Temperance, Justice, Mercy, Humility. I think that would be my list.

  9. You went and asked a Catholic

    The 3 theological virtues:
    Faith
    Hope
    Charity

    The 4 cardinal virtues:
    Prudence
    Justice
    Fortitude
    Temperance

    -OR-

    The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit

    wisdom
    understanding
    counsel
    fortitude
    knowledge
    piety
    fear of the Lord

    -OR-
    The child-sized version of the 14 works of mercy:
    counsel those in need
    instruct the ignorant
    admonish sinners
    comfort the afflicted
    forgive injuries
    bear wrongs patiently
    pray for the living and the dead
    feed the hungry
    give drink to the thirsty
    clothe the naked
    give shelter to the homeless
    ransom the prisoners
    visit the sick
    bury the dead

    -OR-
    The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit
    Charity
    Joy
    Peace
    Patience
    Longanimity
    Mildness
    Faith
    Modesty
    Benignity
    Goodness
    Continence
    Chastity

    -OR-
    The Beatitudes

    • Re: You went and asked a Catholic

      All good!

      I’m using the Boy Scout virtues for part of it, so I’m going to try to take these other ideas and line them up, to expand on the Boy Scount ideas and include things they leave out (like Patience.)

      Boy Scout Law:
      Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent.

      • Re: You went and asked a Catholic

        Just out of curiosity, do you know if John learned anything about these lists in RCIA? I did not study any but the Beatitudes until I was teaching in a Catholic school. I have great concern for converts in RCIA who do not have a studious bent. So many of them do not find out what a wealth of knowledge and guidance is within the Catholic tradition…And RCIA students tend to get more than youth comfirmandi studying for Confirmation as a part of their lifelong Catholic upbringing.

        • Re: You went and asked a Catholic

          Don’t know…but I just copied this conversation and emailed it to him. ;-)

          Also, if you had a moment to glance at the entry above this one and comment, I’d appreciate it. I’m particularly interested in ideas on where one could put Patience…which I consider very important (mainly because I have so little….well, when it comes to the boys. I have plenty of patience with other things, like waiting for my book to come out.)

  10. 1) Being polite will get you further than being smart or educated.
    2) Telling the truth/doing something good to hurt someone is as bad or worse as a lie or doing something *bad* in order to hurt folks.
    3) You’re only as honest as you act when you know you won’t be caught.
    4) Friends, real friends, are family that you choose.
    5) Family should be loved, even when they hurt you, even when they annoy you.
    6) Try to help; make sure you know enough not to cause harm while helping.

  11. You went and asked a Catholic

    The 3 theological virtues:
    Faith
    Hope
    Charity

    The 4 cardinal virtues:
    Prudence
    Justice
    Fortitude
    Temperance

    -OR-

    The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit

    wisdom
    understanding
    counsel
    fortitude
    knowledge
    piety
    fear of the Lord

    -OR-
    The child-sized version of the 14 works of mercy:
    counsel those in need
    instruct the ignorant
    admonish sinners
    comfort the afflicted
    forgive injuries
    bear wrongs patiently
    pray for the living and the dead
    feed the hungry
    give drink to the thirsty
    clothe the naked
    give shelter to the homeless
    ransom the prisoners
    visit the sick
    bury the dead

    -OR-
    The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit
    Charity
    Joy
    Peace
    Patience
    Longanimity
    Mildness
    Faith
    Modesty
    Benignity
    Goodness
    Continence
    Chastity

    -OR-
    The Beatitudes

  12. Re: You went and asked a Catholic

    All good!

    I’m using the Boy Scout virtues for part of it, so I’m going to try to take these other ideas and line them up, to expand on the Boy Scount ideas and include things they leave out (like Patience.)

    Boy Scout Law:
    Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent.

  13. Re: You went and asked a Catholic

    Just out of curiosity, do you know if John learned anything about these lists in RCIA? I did not study any but the Beatitudes until I was teaching in a Catholic school. I have great concern for converts in RCIA who do not have a studious bent. So many of them do not find out what a wealth of knowledge and guidance is within the Catholic tradition…And RCIA students tend to get more than youth comfirmandi studying for Confirmation as a part of their lifelong Catholic upbringing.

  14. Re: You went and asked a Catholic

    Don’t know…but I just copied this conversation and emailed it to him. ;-)

    Also, if you had a moment to glance at the entry above this one and comment, I’d appreciate it. I’m particularly interested in ideas on where one could put Patience…which I consider very important (mainly because I have so little….well, when it comes to the boys. I have plenty of patience with other things, like waiting for my book to come out.)

  15. Re: You went and asked a Catholic

    Will suggests that patience would fit as a neighborhood between the beltway of courteous and kind.

    Just his two cents, he says.

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