Barack Obama Quotes

As a parent, you have to figure out how to shape your kid's character. You want to have human beings who learn about good character. You have to be able to see your child with clarity, see the good side and the bad side of them, and work on the bad side and make them better so they fulfill their potential.

Every day, at home, I have the astonishing and humbling opportunity - together with my wife Sophie - to nurture empathy, compassion, self-love, and a keen sense of justice in our three kids.

I'm a dad with six kids, and I'm trying to teach each of them a little bit of morality.

I'll teach my kids right from wrong, but I'm never going to teach them that they can't have fun. They'll make mistakes; they'll do things they regret, like we all have.

Children should be led into the right paths, not by severity, but by persuasion.

Attitudes about the rearing and education of children vary between two extremes. One, which might be labeled “authoritarian” or “coercive,” rests on an assumption that children are by nature irresponsible and lazy, and will do their schoolwork only if they are penalized for a poor performance. The opposite view might be labeled “progressive” or “democratic.” It rests on the assumption that children who are brought up with love, trust, and clear but kind leadership are eager to grow up and be like their parents, eager to explore, learn, master skills, and take on responsibility; they need guidance but not sternness or punishment.

I've got two small kids. I want to make sure they grow up to be good people. Do they treat people well? Are they kind?

I was taught some very good life lessons and morals as a young kid growing up.

At the end of the day, if you're not spanking your child and instilling in them the ideas of selflessness, servitude, and wisdom, you're probably looking at a future P. Diddy in the making (maybe even a Keith Olbermann - take your pick).

Parents need to teach their children principles of respect and acceptance.

It's important to show children love, affection and balance and invest time in their moral upbringing.

I try to teach my kids to be open.

Knowledge has outstripped character development, and the young today are given an education rather than an upbringing.

My father believed in toughness, honesty, politeness and being on time. All very important lessons.

Parents are supposed to instill a sense of right and wrong in their children and then keep up the due diligence necessary to make sure they don't veer off that path.

Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction.

A family is where character is formed, values are learned, ethics are created, and society preserved.

My parents taught me about the importance of qualities like kindness, respect, and honesty, and I realize how central values like these have been to me throughout my life.

We all want to raise our children well.

We teach our kids to be fair and things like that and if you make a mistake you apologize for it.

Oh, I'm going to raise him on Black Sabbath and Metallica and football and MMA and all things that should matter for a young boy, and discipline and strength and honor and courage and everything that I would hope to instill within my son.

My parents did an excellent job of bringing me up with values.

We see the worth and appreciate the discipline my father inculcated in us.

We didn't try to raise QBs we just tried to raise kids.

Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult.