Does your family have a defined list of values? A list that every member of the family knows of and is familiar with?

We’ve often been taught that values are caught, not taught. But I’ve similarly heard it said that “values won’t hold unless they are told.”

Think about it. How many corporations do you know that have a defined values statement? Why do they have these value statements? To guide their leadership and their team in how they conduct themselves.

So why would we not in turn have a values statement for our family? In Brittany Gronewald’s “Embracing Family Values,” she describes having stated values as one of the 56 traits of a healthy family. Further, she says (emphasis added):

Values are important also because they provide a foundation as a source of protection, guidance, affection, and support. Instilling family values can protect and guide children against making hurtful decisions in the future as they teach a sense of right and wrong. They can add to relationships and influence judgments, behaviors, and parenting styles. Much of what we do and how we react to various situations and topics is a result of our values. Values give families an outlook on life, a way to view the world and their situations as well as an identity by helping family members better understand their background. 

It’s a simple thought process. It makes we wonder what it would be like if more families had a defined set of values. How would that positively impact our world?

Take a practical step to state your family’s values by downloading my Identifying Your Family’s Values guide.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Bill High

Bill is CEO & Founder of Vyne Legacy. He works with families to equip them with tools to build multigenerational legacies, and he teaches givers and financial advisers on transformational biblical generosity. He is the co-author with David Green of Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously.

Published June 12, 2020

Topics: Family Legacy

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