IMPACT OF MORAL NORMS AND VALUES ON CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOUR IN EARLY YEARS

Abstract

Immoral behaviour among children is a serious issue in the society that calls for urgent concern. Good behaviour is a powerful fragrance that attracts people from all works of life. The Family is a product of the society and every society has its own moral norms and values which shape a particular society in terms of lifestyles, greeting, mode of dressing, food, among others. Moral norms and values modify and beautify children’s behaviour and their relationship with other agents of socialization.  Children acquire immoral behaviour such stealing, smoking, cybercrime, drug abuse if priority is not place on moral norms and values at early years. Early years education helps children to curb the ills in the society such as juvenile arrest and also fosters values such as respect, appreciation, generosity among others. This study tends to examine the influence of moral norms and values on children’s’ behaviour in their early years. The finding revealed that poor parenting such as projecting bad image to their children, peer group influence as children interact with the school and home environment, social media without parental control over what the children watch and the ills in the society influence children’s behaviour at their early years. The researchers recommended that counselling units should be established in early childhood education in order to curb the immorality in the society which will substantially influence the moral norms and values on children behavior who are seen as future generation leaders.