Your child: Values vs. Virtues

Values = "ideals, aspirations and good intentions residing in the mind.  By themselves they cannot lead children towards happy and productive lives".[ 1]

Virtues = habits of moral action.  "They are the entrenched and... repeated actions that become the defining core of our character.  For example: the virtuous actions of courage, friendliness, good manners, tolerance, resilience/persistence, compassion, empathy, etc." [1]

Benjamin Franklin established his virtues (or good habits) by writing down what he wanted to instill in himself and set at least a week to make each desired virtue a habit.  He then measured and reflected upon his progress until he established a new habit. 

Benjamin Franklin's chart measuring his virtues

The same goes for our children.  Virtues develop from consistently acting in moral ways so that they become habits, principles on which our children can fall and which will ultimately lead them to lead happier, more fulfilled lives.  

[1]Wilson McCaskill in Children Aren't Made of China