How to Teach Respect to a Child

Many parents complain often that their children have no respect for things in life, but this to me is a pretty broad statement. There are many kinds of respect. You can have respect for people's feelings, respect for objects and things, or for rules. Here I will offer a few suggestions that I have found worked to help my family in all kinds of respect.

Things You'll Need

  • Patience

Instructions

    • 1

      Set an Example: The hardest part of parenting may me that once you are the parent of a child, you have to be the ultimate role model. Children watch their parents and everything they do! If you set an example to your children that you respect other people's feelings by not being a gossip, you children will learn to respect other people's feelings in return! The same can be said for respecting possesions and following rules. Setting a good example is the best way to start a child on the path to respect.

    • 2

      Respect for Feelings: In order to make sure that your children are respecting other people's feelings, I have found that the best place to start is by talking to your child continuously about how everyone in this world is different and how we all have different feelings and emotions. Words can hurt as much as a big stick if used in the wrong way! Continuously remind your children that they should treat other people that way they would like to be treated themselves, and use examples of people who bully and are unkind to remind your child that they would feel bad if they were treated this way themselves.

    • 3

      Respect for Objects: I have found in my home that children will respect their own things more if they are given the task of taking care of their things on their own. Give you child chores at a young age, and they will learn to respect their own property, as well as other people's things. Early chores can be as simple as picking up after themselves and straightening out an easy area of the house. If your child fails to take care of their toys, remove them for a few days! Your child will cry and say that you are mean, but parents hear that all the time anyway, so be strong! If you take things away from your children for showing a lack of respect, I assure you that they will learn their lesson and learn to respect their items as well as other people's.

    • 4

      Respect for Rules: Here comes that setting an example idea again! We as adults do a lot of cheating when it comes to following life's rules, but when you are teaching a child respect,there are no shortcuts. One of the best ways to show rule respect is to start by being punctual to your own work and to social engagements. You can try not to speed or break other traffic laws when you are driving the kids around. Talk to your children about school rules! They will do better in school if they show respect to teachers and follow the policies layed out before them, even if they seem silly. I know this may be difficult, but if you follow life's little rules yourself, your children will follow right along!

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