We Choose Virtues

Our family was asked to review Parenting Cards from We Choose Virtues.  These character building cards come with Bible verses in either King James Version or New International Readers Version.  We received the NIrV cards, which sell for $38.49.  These are nice, sturdy, 8.5x5.5" cards.  They come in a zip top bag, so it's easy to keep them all together when not in use.  These are more than just cards, this is a program for teaching and modelling character and virtue.

We also received the download bundle that comes in the homeschool kit, a comprehensive character training program.  The download bundle by itself is $7.99, and includes the Character Assessment, the Teacher's Handbook, the Kids of VirtueVille Coloring Book, and Butterfly Awards.  There is also a classroom kit available that would be great in primary grades in a Christian school.

There are many ways you can use these cards.  We started by taking the Character Assessment, a self evaluation form to get the kids thinking about what areas they are doing well in, and what areas they could use a little work on.

I decided we would work on one virtue each week.  The virtue I chose first was Kind.  It's the one that jumped out at me when I went through the cards.  I just want my kids to be Kind to each other, you know?  Sometimes the bickering really gets to me.

Each Monday, I would copy from the card onto our white board and we would discuss our new virtue.  Then I would ask the children to write about the virtue in their journal.

This is a sample from the coloring pages that came as part of our download bundle.

During the other days of the week, I would read the little character story from the back of the card, and then we might write a journal entry about a time when we showed that virtue, or discuss what someone showing that character trait would be like.  Another day, we might color the coloring sheet to go along with our virtue for the week.  There are "teachable moments" that include challenges to work on the chosen virtue on the back of the card, as well.

Often, it was natural for me to point out a character displaying (or not displaying!) our current virtue in my story time with Jack in the evenings.  We could talk briefly about the choices someone in the book was making and what that said about them.


Eli, who is 12, called the program "childish."  I was really surprised at how resistant my kids were to the virtue training.  Part of this may come from the fact that the cards are geared for kids ages 3 through 11, and my reviewers were 10, 12, and 14.  I, personally, felt they would be better suited to younger kids, more in the K-3rd grade range.  Hannah (who is in a classroom school) is a first grader, and I think this program would be a great fit for her.

I'm sure a good deal of the older kids' bad attitude comes toward character education from sin nature.  And honestly, I haven't been the greatest example of all of these virtues lately.  Some days, the virtue card was MY reminder to be Self Controlled or Kind!

We Choose Virtues also offers a program for older kids, the Youth Virtue Journal, which probably would have been a better fit for us.

You can connect with We Choose Virtues on Facebook or Pinterest, or at their Blog.  I have 2 coupon codes for you today, as well!  BIG50 is good in June, and will give you 50% off the 12 large virtue posters.  BTS20 is valid June through August, and will give you 20% off anything in the We Choose Virtues store!  Start next school year off right with some character education.

You can read what other Crew families thought about both the Parenting Cards and the We Choose Virtues Youth Journal by clicking the box below:

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