Raising Adults, Not Kids: Forming Children of Character in a Toxic Culture

It is harder than ever to raise children of good character. Media reaches children earlier, families are under strain, and peer pressure starts young. But the research is clear: parents still matter most. When Reader’s Digest asked people why they returned a lost wallet full of cash, the most common answer was simple: “My parents taught me to be honest.”

In this one-lesson course, Dr. Thomas Lickona draws on the wisdom of the ages, current psychological research, and the Catholic faith to present practical principles for forming children of character: work on the marriage, make character a high priority, be an authoritative parent, love your children with time and attention, teach by example, guard the moral environment, and use direct teaching to form habits and conscience.

Two Further Reading sections take the lecture deeper. The first draws on scholarship from Divine Mercy University, including the Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person and DMU dissertations on parenting styles, overparenting, and fatherhood. The second draws on the Church’s spiritual tradition, including St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Augustine, and Fr. Alphonsus Rodriguez.