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Where do children learn ethics and morality these days?

(34 Posts)
Aveline Thu 15-Oct-26 13:22:18

That's it really. Now that church attendance seems a thing of the past and the world seems full of bad people doing bad things and, seemingly, being rewarded for it or at least getting away with it ( I'm looking at you Trump and Putin) how can children learn?
Ideally from their parents, potentially from hard pressed teachers, but how else?

Oreo Thu 15-Oct-26 16:48:39

I’m not sure they do really.
Or at least only from a percentage of parents.This country is becoming more secular and schools don’t have the time do they for ethics and morality lessons? Maybe certain schools do.
Most kids know right from wrong where criminality is concerned but ethics, not sure about that.

Chocolatelovinggran Thu 15-Oct-26 16:58:19

Schools do have lessons on PSHE, where moral dilemmas are discussed. There are, also, philosophy lessons, in which the thinking behind ethical principles are explored.
The school my GS attends has a thriving Duke of Edinburgh programme, and he will be undertaking his community work as part of this
This school offers the International Baccalaureate instead of A levels and that, too includes an element of community service.

David49 Thu 15-Oct-26 17:11:39

Most morality and ethics are learned from parents, if they are constantly lying, cheating and arguing whatever they are taught elsewhere, is wasted.

Iam64 Thu 15-Oct-26 17:33:07

The biggest influence is within families. My primary school age grandchildren all discuss ethics and morality at school and in our family. Two go to a faith school, two don’t - their ethics and morals are strong
One now at high school. He enjoys ethics and faith - one of their year seven courses

Norah Thu 15-Oct-26 18:06:49

Home.

fancythat Thu 15-Oct-26 18:12:35

Ethics and morality are two different things.

HowVeryDareYou2 Thu 15-Oct-26 18:27:17

Cossy

From their parents, their relatives, their peers, possibly their teachers.

I came from a C of E family, but church attendances were strictly limited to weddings, christenings and funerals.

I didn’t marry in church and my children were not christened.

However, myself and my husband consider ourselves to have strong moral compasses, ethics and taught our children from a very young age right from wrong.

None of our five children practise any formal religion, but we consider them to be fine, upstanding, moral decent people.

Ditto. My parents didn't go to church, except for funerals and weddings. They were good role models - Dad worked hard, Mum was a housewife, and we sat and ate together in the evening, chatted about our day. There were some rules to follow, and we were taught to be polite.

Maremia Thu 15-Oct-26 18:44:06

I think home and school. For teens, their friend groups are very important.