Those precious years. Keep in mind the best time to instill values is when children are between the ages of one and eight. During this time, parents have the priceless opportunity to be the primary influence before the media and peers interject. When children are this young, parents are their whole world. They want to dress up like them, talk like them and be like them.
Values can still be taught in later years, it just gets more difficult.
Actions speak louder than words. To tell a child to be kind, to be positive, that they should treat others the way they would like to treated, or to be responsible, has little significance. To show them how to be those things will make the difference. Parents have to set the example. Seize the moment.