Share which life lessons you feel are important to teach your child about with Day Out With Thomas

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Teaching your child positive values is one of the biggest jobs we have as parents - from working as a team to helping others, it’s important that children learn these lessons early on. With this in mind, Day Out With Thomas wants to hear about the values and life lessons that you feel are essential for your child to learn, and how you help them to apply these in real life.

Here’s what Day Out With Thomas has to say:

“Peep Peep! All aboard for a Day Out With Thomas!
Thomas, the Number 1 blue engine, and The Fat Controller have travelled all the way from the Island of Sodor for a day of family fun at a heritage railway near you. Meet Thomas and The Fat Controller, take a train ride and enjoy so much more!
Thomas & Friends episodes teach children about teamwork, friendship, and problem solving, values that we know are really important to you when letting your child watch their favourite programmes.
Day Out With Thomas™ is an annual event brings these values to life, and gives children and their families the unique opportunity to meet the classic storybook character Thomas the Tank Engine at heritage railways across the UK. Families can ride on a real steam engine, pulled by Thomas, and meet The Fat Controller! There’s also lots more to enjoy at each event. Activities may include children’s rides, soft play, toy play area, a live show, miniature railway, storytime, and meeting other engines and characters from Thomas & Friends.”

Which values are most important for your child to learn? Are there particular values your child has already learnt and implemented from their favourite TV characters? Can you think of a time your child exercised positive values and made you proud?

Whichever values you feel are important to teach your children, share them on the thread below for a chance to win. There will be 5x chances to win, with one poster winning a £300 voucher (from a list), and four posters each winning a family ticket (for a family of 4) to a 2019* Day Out With Thomas event of the winner’s choice – locations can be found here.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ
Standard Insight Terms and Conditions apply

*Events from 15 August 2019 onwards

sportacus from LazyTown was a role model for my son. He taught him to exercise and eat healthy

We taught our son many values - if only every parent did the same the world would be such a better place!!! some of them were:
Be kind to others.

Be respectful of the planet!! (try not to waste things)
Be respectful of others (although as he has got older he understands some people dont deserve it when they hold no values of their own)
Be kind to yourself and look after yourself (and to talk to loved ones if he doesnt feel so good)
Work together well with others, but also have confidence to work well on your own when you need to.
Help those who need it (not those who want it)
To give and to take equally
Think of how others feel from their perspective
Life has good times and bad times. Make the most of (and be grateful for) the good times!
If you make a mistake it confirms you are a human being - think about how you could have avoided it/make it better and then move on from it, dont beat yourself up over and over again about it.
Have fun and enjoy your life - that is what you are here for!

Good manners and kindness to all are very important

My daughter has been born into a much more different world than the one I grew up in. She has to deal with reality TV show contestants being revered (and in fact a job to aspire to), social media being of the utmost importance when it comes to self-evaluation and a total lack of respect to elders and authorities. That's if I allow her to be raised that way.

I think the most important values, therefore, are the dying arts of social and moral decency and above all a sense of self. For her to be happy in life she has learned how to treat others and how to value herself. I don't believe this can ever be learned from TV.

I was proud when she decided to come off Social Media. I was not happy with her being part of it in the first place but also understood the fear of being "out of the loop". I talked to her about it often though and how it could potentially only ever make her feel anxious. Now she has distanced herself from it her personal relationships have improved and she has avoided many, many dramas.

I think kindness and honesty are very important and key but I also want to instill courage in my son. Having courage to stand up and speak out for what you believe in is something that so many people struggle with (me included) and I don't want my son to always have the courage to be able to do the things that scare him.

Kindness and my biggest one, to be non judgemental!

Kindness. Kindness covers so many important attributes that we all try and teach our children on a daily basis! I must admit, it can be incredibly tough to put this into practice in an actual situation - trying to carefully explain to my daughter why she should behave in a certain way in a busy play area where other children may not be behaving in a positive way is hard; especially when she asks why other children can push-in or not share! Comparing the situation to what a particular tv character would do in it really helps my daughter learn and understand why we should be kind in all situations.

Treat others as you would like others to treat you

Something that isn't always mentioned is dealing with loss and grief. It's something that maybe we feel uncomfortable exposing our children to but I think that it is important to give children coping skills and enable them to deal with things in life that are sad or don't go to plan etc.

The main one I give to my DC is to be nice to others, kindness can really help a friend if they are upset. Always be polite, remember to say thank you, please etc Little things that make the difference!

kindness and manners will always be helpful when older

kindness and honesty. Oh and to be a really useful engine

Look after your planet and wildlife and be kind and caring. I was amazed when a teacher told me our son had carried a younger boy without legs around on a nature day out. When I asked him about it he said "it was great Mum he knows more about hedgehogs than I do!"

Treat people how you would like to be treated.

that every single day counts and to enjoy every minute of it!!

Persist, contribute and forgive

Kindness & don’t worry about things you can’t change

Honesty, kindness and thoughtfulness.
Taking responsibility for your actions is vital. If dc does something wrong he is expected to go and apologise not rely on me to do it.
I don’t like lying so honesty is encouraged.
Kindness and thoughtfulness are really important and I encourage friendship too - inclusivity.

Contraception...

I have always told my kids to be the best...... they can be at all times, even when its hard to do so....I say if someone is mean, etc. then that's on them not you, but you don't have to do the same thing
.
Life's a series of choices, we get to choose the right thing to do'
But I also say, some times life is not easy, but you will learn things from those times too.

There are so many life lessons for kids to learn, for my autistic son the main one would be to recognise his own signals that he can't cope and then ways to cope in these situations so he can self regulate and prevent over stimulation and meltdowns

It's important to be aware of how you can make others feel and sharing

Always be true to yourself, Never Doubt yourself if you want something go for it and Never, never think you carn't do it because you can if you put your mind to it, Always be the best you can to yourself and to others.

Having just encountered a sulky DD when she couldn't win at table top pool, definitely 'it's the taking part that counts' rather than winning!

I think the biggest lesson we're teaching our son is about money and saving for the future. He understands he needs to save for items he would like, and nothing is for free.