12 Essential Qualities Your Children Need and How to Teach Them

Christiane Kutik 

As parents, what do we need to give our children to ensure they grow up to be happy,
well balanced, and resilient? Christiane Kutik, a parenting tutor and mother of two, tells
us that children, above all, need their parents to give them strong values that help them
find their way in life. 

Many of us consider “values” to be an old-fashioned concept. However, Kutik suggests
that, by fostering twelve vital values, parents can provide their children with all the tools
needed to flourish, to discover the worth of nonmaterial rewards. and to have an emotionally
enriching life. 

Parenting with Values encourages parents to reflect on choosing the values they want to
pass on to their children. In twelve short, accessible chapters, Kutik discusses the essential
qualities that children need, and explains how each is learned and passed on from parent
to child. The twelve essential values Kutik identifies are: 
 

• Self-esteem
• Honesty
• Sensibility
• Compassion
• Respect
• Humor
• Security
• Capacity to manage conflict
• Independence
• Interest in the World
• Soulfulness
• Connection to the Natural World

This engaging and readable book is filled with practical everyday examples of values in
action. It provides inspiration for parents who wish to proactively encourage positive
development in their children.