Most important values for children to learn

Empathy (The Fundamental Pillar)

The most important value, and the one that serves as the main antidote to bullying and toxicity, is empathy.

Empathy is the ability to put oneself in the other's place, to feel what the other feels.

In childhood, this is not an abstract concept, but a skill that must be actively trained by parents and educators.

It is taught by first validating the child's own feelings ("I understand that you are angry") so that he learns to recognize them, and then projecting them onto others ("How do you think your friend felt when you took away his toy?").

In an increasingly digital world, where interactions are filtered by screens, empathy is harder to develop, but more necessary than ever.

It is the value that allows a child to slow down before sending a hurtful message or deciding not to share a humiliating video of a peer.

Respect and Tolerance (Managing Difference)

Respect is the practice of empathy.

It is understanding that all people deserve dignity and fair treatment, even if we don't think alike or like them.

Respect implies limits: "My freedom ends where yours begins".

Children must learn that respect is not optional and applies to everyone: parents, teachers, peers and oneself. Tolerance is respect applied to difference.

Bullying targets what is perceived as "different" (origin, appearance, tastes, abilities).

To educate in tolerance is to teach children to value diversity as something that enriches the group, not as something that threatens it.

It is the value that disarms prejudice, which is the root of all hate speech and exclusion.

Responsibility and Honesty (Integrity)

Responsibility is the value of assuming the consequences of one's actions. In the digital age, it is easy to hide in anonymity and act without responsibility ("Since I can't be seen, it doesn't matter").

Educating in responsibility is teaching children that their actions, both online and offline, have an impact on others and on themselves.

It involves taking responsibility for mistakes, not looking for external culprits, and learning to repair the damage caused (apologize, make amends). Honesty is the pillar of trust.

It is the courage to act in accordance with the truth, to be yourself without deceiving (the antidote to catfishing)