Exploring Values

One aspect of mental wellness is determining and living by one’s core values. Core values can be described as beliefs that are important, guidelines around right and wrong, and ways to act in the world.

Young people learn values like respect, kindness, and honesty from family as well as through school, community or religious organizations, and cultural traditions. As a parent, you establish and model core values for your children through your own interactions and choices.

For example, if you value giving back to the community, you might demonstrate that value by bringing your children with you to volunteer. If you value honesty, you might demonstrate that value by talking about your own mistakes and holding yourself accountable.

As kids grow, they begin to determine what’s most important to them and what guides their own moral compass. This may or may not be the same as your own.

To help teens consider their own values:

• Explain your own beliefs and values — not just telling teens what you think is important, but why.
• Ask them about their own beliefs and what’s important to them.
• Listen to their views and opinions without judgment, even if you don’t agree.
• Ask them who they look up to and why. In what ways do they admire or aspire to be like their role model(s)?
• Have them think of three to five words to describe themselves. Do these words match up with the type of person they’d like to become — not what they want to do, but who they want to be at their core or what they feel their purpose is?
• Compliment your teen when you see them demonstrating their values — helping a friend, picking up a piece of trash instead of walking by it, showing kindness to a sibling.