Building a Moral Tool Belt

As parents of young children, my wife and I have focused our parenting on helping our kids build a "moral tool belt."  Basically, we want to teach them principles from scripture that they can put into practice as they go through life.  Then, in various situations, they can make better decisions by accessing their "tool belt" or by applying a Biblical principle to each situation.  For instance, we help our kids to do the dishes, not because it's a meaningless chore to keep them from fun, but because we are part of team and each player has a role to play; or maybe even something good about stewardship.  So, the goal is to give them tools for decision making in the future.

I say all of this because yesterday at our preaching group, one of the pastors brought up an interesting study.  The study has to do with the conscience of us Westerner hemisphere people versus those in the east.  The study seems to indicate that because of our "Christian" foundation we in the west feel guilty about doing something before we are caught (for the most part).  While shame = guilt in other parts of the world, so if I am shamed, regardless of whether I did something or not, I feel guilt...

Not quite sure the ramifications of this thought... but a thought none the less...