When it comes to your children, respect is really a two-way street.
The Golden Rule and Parenting
“Treat others the way you would like to be treated” even applies to parenting kids. Not everyone feels this way. For some people, parenting or being a teacher means that you’ll plan to take a more authoritative approach, with strict behavior guidelines for kids to follow and basically behave however you like while expecting kids to mind your rules. The problem with this is that it breeds a sense of fear in your family.
Children Need to Get Respect to Give Respect
Children who are not shown respect as they were told to give it, grow up into adults who confuse fear with love. This means they’re basically going to later turn around and disrespect the most important people in their adult lives, such as husbands and wives, or maybe even their own kids.
Set Guidelines
But there is also the matter of having guidelines to consider as you lead by example when teaching kids about respecting others. There can be a blurry line that gets crossed due to misunderstanding. Children should be taught that everyone’s opinions are considered, but a firm line should be drawn when it comes to kids behaving like adults. Moms, dads, teachers, and caregivers set the rules because our life experience gives us the authority to determine what is safe and in the best interest of the children or other dependents in our care.
It is for this reason alone that kids must learn that even though their emotions should be respected and their time should be respected, there are going to be moments when others must set the rules and guidelines that they are expected to follow. In turn, when they become adults it will be their responsibility to set rules and guidelines that show lead-by-example behavior on how to be respectful, for the young people in their life to follow.
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