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!
Honesty, Integrity, Faith, Patience, Hope, and a love of learning.
One of them should be some sort of wording of the “Golden Rule”. It might be overly broad as a precept, but it does provide a firm moral foundation.
kindness and compassion for others.
Boy that was fast!!!
Thanks!
(I keep thinking in the back of my mind that this idea would make a great series of kids books. Wish I didn’t write so slowly!)
Hey, I would read it!
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.
omg! I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered those games!
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.
I’m not a parent, but it sounds like he’s getting the idea if he’s lecturing his Pokemon about it :)
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.
Oooh! Good point!
Never lose faith, never give up hope.
Honesty, Integrity, Faith, Patience, Hope, and a love of learning.
One of them should be some sort of wording of the “Golden Rule”. It might be overly broad as a precept, but it does provide a firm moral foundation.
kindness and compassion for others.
Boy that was fast!!!
Thanks!
(I keep thinking in the back of my mind that this idea would make a great series of kids books. Wish I didn’t write so slowly!)
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.
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.
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. :)
omg! I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered those games!
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.
I’m not a parent, but it sounds like he’s getting the idea if he’s lecturing his Pokemon about it :)
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.
Hey, I would read it!
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.)
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.
Re: You went and asked a Catholic
Oops, that was me above, before I remembered to log in.
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.
Oooh! Good point!
Never lose faith, never give up hope.
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.)
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.
Re: You went and asked a Catholic
Oops, that was me above, before I remembered to log in.