As parents, we want many things for our children. One of the things that many parents think about is how to raise a child who contributes positively to society. Some people may feel that if you have a toddler, it is too early to concern yourself with such things. Since toddlers are readily able to observe and imitate the actions of the adults in their lives, I would say that now is an important time to begin laying the foundation upon which your toddler can build his or her values.
One of the simplest ways to help your toddler develop values which will help him to grow into the type of citizen that you wish for him to be is to lead by example. By acting in the way that you would hope your child would act in a similar situation, you show him what positive behavior looks like. Of course, this can be hard to do sometimes and we parents are only human. However, if the majority of what your toddler sees and hears are positive interactions with other people, he will likely follow suit.
Another thing that you can do is use situations that you encounter with your child as opportunities to talk about values. Forego the lengthy lectures, though. With toddlers, it is important to keep the message short and sweet. For example, if you see that your toddler is having trouble sharing a toy with a sibling, ask him how he would feel if a friend would not share a toy with him. Instead of taking the toy and giving it to the sibling, give your toddler a chance to do the right thing by suggesting that he play with the toy for two more minutes and then give it to his brother or sister. Occasionally offering positive reinforcement when you catch your toddler doing something generous, kind, gentle, or fair can also be helpful.