B!Character strength: Tidiness

Guidelines for parents of 1rst and 2nd year of Primary School - September Character Strength

GOAL SLOGAN: I CAN PUT THINGS IN THEIR PLACE

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

The questions below are designed to help you think about how you can help from home   with the skills development programme your child is taking part in.

  1. What are your motivations for requesting a tidy home? Can you explain the right reasons to your child?
  2. How do you stop becoming a fanatic with respect to tidiness and stay flexible and tolerant with other people’s untidiness? Can you understand that sometimes there may be a reason for not putting things back in their place?
  3. Can you make a sketch of where things should go? How do you tell and show your children where to put things and how to help put things in their place?

HOW CAN WE HELP?

The suggestions below show when personal parental involvement is necessary. The aim of the subjects proposed is to demonstrate where you might be able to support your child and help him to work on developing this month’s skill.

  1. It may be useful to show your children where things go in their wardrobes, – like signs to show where the socks go, which shelf is for sweaters, etc.
  2. To save money and avoid losses, marking school things with your child’s name and surname is always a good idea. Marking clothes, etc. also gives your children a greater sense of security.
  3. If your child leaves something out of place, instead of complaining or telling him off, describe the situation and explain why things need to be tidied up, e.g. “Oh look, a wet towel on the bed. I don’t think sleeping in a wet bed tonight will be too much fun”
  4. Mental tidiness is a habit and it needs to be repeated many times before it is acquired. Set yourselves the task of teaching your children to organise their time and space: “When are you going to do that?”, “Where should you do it?”
  5. Establishing a daily timetable at home and the habit of doing certain daily chores will help make your children tidier, more systematic and responsible (with set times for chores, – duty first, fun later, etc.).
  6. Try to have a plan for the weekend ready in advance.
Other strengths:

Management of the environment

Open mindedness

Justice

Sobriety

Courage

Leadership

Citizenship

Personal dimension

Interior

Study

Creativity

Optimism

Ideals

Tidiness

Responsability

Prudence

Outdoor

Strength

Self-esteem

Integrity

Eagerness to learn

Gratitude

Openness to others

Interpersonal dimension

Communication

Friendship

Perseverance

Cooperation

Honesty

Generosity