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Demonstrate respect with six strategies

When it comes to teaching kids about respect, the idea isnā€™t to teach them at all. Itā€™s to show them. When you demonstrate what respect looks like, youā€™ll go a long way toward helping your child become respectful. 

To demonstrate respect:

  1. Be polite. Say please, thank you and excuse me when talking to your child. Knock before entering your childā€™s room.
  2. Be kind—especially when your child messes up. Everyone makes mistakes. Help your child learn from mishaps. 
  3. Be compassionate. Try not to embarrass your child, and avoid telling jokes at your childā€™s expense. 
  4. Be fair. Donā€™t pass judgment or punish your child before learning all the facts. 
  5. Be dependable. If you tell your child youā€™ll do something, do it. And when you canā€™t do something, be up front about it. 
  6. Be honest. ā€œLittle white liesā€ chip away at the respect your child feels—or doesnā€™t feel—for you. Kids are always watching what adults do.



Reprinted with permission from the April 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!Ā®  (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent InstituteĀ®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.