Morals are at the centres of our lives. They teach us what is right, what is wrong and how to be good people without sacrificing ourselves in the process. Teaching morals can be difficult and is truly an art form. In this article, we’ll take a look at Aesop’s Fables and how they teach moral lessons to children.
Aesop’s Fables
When teaching someone something, we must take care to make it engaging and clear for them without making it too simple. If the lesson is too easy, then they may forget it. For this reason, many childcare educators and parents turn to Aesop’s Fables to help teach children about morals.
The Lion and the Mouse
The Lion and the Mouse were inherently different and yet they came together in this touching fable. The Lion chose to let the Mouse go free and when the Lion needed help later, the Mouse was there. The moral of the story? If you can be kind, choose to be kind. No act of kindness is ever wasted.
When reading this story, encourage your child to consider different acts of kindness and how they can be kind in their day-to-day lives. A kind child grows up to be a happy adult.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Over and over, the boy tells people there’s a wolf. When there really is a wolf, nobody is interested because nobody believes him. This classic story is a great way to teach your child about the importance of honesty and how being dishonest can lead people to stop trusting you.
Deceit hurts not only the people who are lied to but also the people who lie. Eventually, the truth comes out. Help your child consider some scenarios where they may want to lie, but should tell the truth: perhaps if they did something naughty or if they broke something valuable. Honesty may be hard, but many good things can be hard.
The Hare and the Tortoise
The Hare was faster to begin with but it was the tortoise who won in the end. This fable can have several different messages and can be read in different ways, depending on the age of your child.
Don’t Brag
The Hare brags about how he’s going to win for the sole intent of upsetting the tortoise. However, this ends up embarrassing him for it is the tortoise who wins. You may choose to take this moral from the story and encourage your children to be supportive of everyone, instead of bragging to make others feel bad. Let your child know that there are ways to celebrate their achievements without hurting other people in the process.
Take It Slow
Many children tend to rush through activities to try to get to the end. You could use this fable to teach them to take things slow. Life is about the journey, not the destination. When you go at a slower pace, you may be able to work clearly and pay more attention to details. This is especially relevant for children who are reading and writing, as it is common for children to read the first few letters and try to guess the word from there. Let them know that it isn’t a race and that they can take time for their learning.
Practice
The best way to see whether the moral lessons sunk in is to try them out socially. Consider enrolling them in one of our two ToBeMe early learning centres, Burwood and Five Dock. If you have any questions about our activities, or if you would be interested in booking a tour, please contact us on (02) 9744 0066 or visit our contact page.
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