Signs That Your Child Does Not Respect You

Arguing

• If you find yourself arguing frequently with a child who won̵7;t accept your word and family rules, this indicates that your child lacks a respectful attitude, advises the University of Alabama Parenting Assistance Line. A child who does not respect parents or even authority in general may resist compromising to work out issues and may exhibit a self-centered and self-serving attitude, insisting that others give in to him.

Rudeness

• Rude or rebellious behavior is another hallmark of disrespect, states social worker James Lehman, writing on the Empowering Parents website. You may hear name-calling, sarcasm, swearing, cutting remarks, grumbling under the breath and slammed doors. Disrespect may also manifest itself with eye-rolling and even a flounce followed by the silent treatment. Pay attention to your reaction to the disrespect to make sure you don't take it personally, which might affect how you respond. Try to minimize any personal reactions to enable you to deal with disrespect appropriately and effectively.

Property or Privacy

• If your child shows little regard for boundaries regarding your property or privacy, this behavior indicates a lack of respect, states Mark Gregston, author and founder of Heartlight Ministries, a teen residential counseling center. This child may not ask before borrowing something that belongs to you and he may not take appropriate care when borrowing family items. A child might also invade personal property without asking ̵1; searching through a purse or dresser drawers, perhaps.

Drawing a Line

• Every parent needs to draw a line between mild disrespect that a child may show in the process of blowing off steam, expressing emotions or trying to assert himself, and more flagrant disrespect that indicates a serious problem. As long as a child shows indications of cooperating with a directive or following rules, you may wish to look the other way if you get an errant eye-roll from time to time. Some degree of standing up for himself is necessary for a teenager to learn how to assert himself in the world. The key lies in how your child achieves this confidence -- whether he does it assertively or aggressively. If your child is swearing at you, calling you names or engaging in other abusive or unacceptable behavior such as violating private property in your home, confront him about this aggressive behavior. Tell your child directly that you will not tolerate the disrespectful behavior and institute specific consequences that he will receive whenever serious disrespect and rebellion occur.