For many people, defining personal ethics is a difficult endeavor. Ethics are simply the moral foundation on which people build their lives. They guide the decision-making of an individual and represent the core value system people use for everyday problem solving. They also create a framework for determining right versus wrong (Nucci 1). Many people consider their ethics to be a characteristic they were born with but truly, ethics are developed throughout life based on a wide variety of factors.
While parents cannot dictate their child’s morality, they are typically the first to voice and demonstrate ethical boundaries for them. Most parents consider it one of their critical jobs to instill a strong sense of right and wrong in their children. When parents tell their children that stealing is wrong, they are building a foundation for their child’s personal ethics. In many situations, the mother impacts the children more than the father (Garrod 98). In the book Approaches to Moral Development, Sally Powers says, “Although mothers are equally supportive of sons and daughters, fathers of daughters are significantly supportive of their daughters than are fathers of sons supportive of their sons.” In an interview with Courtney Smith, she said, “My mother taught me way more. My father was pretty much just satisfied with anything I did.” How parents behave has a strong impact as well. For example, if a set of parents argue all of the time then their child will start to believe that it is right (Ermisch 70). Children absorb the actions of their family, which contributes heavily to their sense of morality.
Schools also play a major role in the moral development of youth. The values and beliefs that teachers demonstrate are carried on to the students. Many schools teach about why lying, cheating, and stealing is wrong (Nucci 3). Peers in school also have a