The idea of loyalty might seem a bit 'old fashioned' and might even conjure up images of knights in shining armor and loyal subjects bowing to a king or queen.
But what exactly does it mean to be loyal? As humans we rely on everybody working together; to a greater or lesser extent we all rely on other people so that we can live happily and healthily. We can see this from a global perspective where countries need to work together for peace and prosperity .... or from a city level ... or from a neighborhood level ... or from a family level where we work together as a team to get the best out of life that we can. Loyalty is one of the important core values that you can teach your children. Unfortunately, individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Today many people care more about themselves than others and do what they like with little thought for other people. This is a very sad thing. For example, there are increasing numbers of adultery cases,which is a lack of loyalty to family and spouse. Also common in today’s society is vandalism and destroying of public properties, which is a lack of loyalty to your country. Also common in today’s world, there are increasing cases of cheating in the corporate world and white-collar crimes, which is a lack of loyalty and commitment to the organization that you work for.
Loyalty starts with us
There is a need for us to teach loyalty to our children - loyalty to family, to country, church, schools and other organizations to which we make commitments. We must teach our children about reliability and dependability in doing what they say they will do. One way to do this is to make your children aware of your own example. Parents do things every day that illustrate their loyalty to their children. But so many of these things are so automatic that they are seldom noticed and seldom used as visible examples of loyalty. Instead of saying, “I’ll pick you up after school,” say, “I’ll be there at three-thirty – you can count on it!” Instead of just going to a child’s soccer game or music recital, say, “I’ll be there no matter how busy I am because I want to be with you and support what you do!” Tell children more often that you will always be there for them, that they can depend on you, that you’ll be behind them in tough times. Take credit for your loyalty, because it is the best way to instill the same qualities into your children.
Studies Suggest
Studies tell us that children as young as preschool-age exercise loyalty both in one-on-one friendships and in groups. This is a good thing! When children have close bonds with loyal friends, they tend to report less social anxiety, bigger boosts in self-worth and fewer depressive symptoms than their friends. Not to mention, loyalty is required for all relationships to work, since it helps you to know what you can expect from a person. A breakdown in loyalty can seriously compromise friendships for children or adults. Like the vase that’s been broken and then glued back together, a breaking of trust can leave cracks that sometimes can’t be fully repaired.
Practice Loyalty
Loyalty is like super glue that is really strong. It doesn’t come apart easily. When your friends or family go through difficult times, you can practice loyalty by helping them and finding ways to encourage them. Do not be a “fair-weather friend”—someone who is a friend only when everything is going well, but leaves as soon as trouble comes. A fair-weather friend probably will not be trusted. Practice loyalty and you will be a better friend, a better family member, and a better student!