I recently read an article about the 5 most important things we can teach our toddlers
and pre-schoolers. Different people were interviewed i.e. parents, teachers, au pairs,
nannies, house mothers and caregivers. Even though everyone expressed their
ideas differently, it all came down to the exact same thing… Respect
We all want to raise up good and kind children. We would like to teach them the
behaviours and the thought processes they need to flourish and succeed in life.
Even though the people being interviewed spoke of many different aspects, it is all
underpinned by respect.
Respect is the root of all good things
If there is basic human respect, so many other good character traits follow suite.
Respect for authority, like parents and teachers shows obedience. Respect for
others covers kindness. Respect for oneself shows self-control and self-worth.
Things like teasing and bullying happen in the absence of respect. Back chatting,
disobedience, laziness, they just don’t exist where respect is found. Cleanliness, self-
control, follow-through, and determination also are the product of respect. Respect
for others and self.
How can we teach our little ones about respect
We can demonstrate and model respectful behaviour for our children.
We can teach them polite responses in certain situations.
Talk to them later, about their reactions and responses to certain interactions
where respect was needed.
Praise respectful behaviour.
By the time a child is 3 years old, he may have grasped the idea that he’s expected
to treat others in a certain way. However, he’s still learning to see things from their
point of view. At ages 3-4 years old, your child’s language and empathy skills are
developing fast, they will and can understand when you explain it to them.
Begin by telling them that respect can be a feeling — you can feel respect for
another person. Then, you can say that, when you feel respect for someone, you
want to be polite and kind towards that person. Finally, tell them that, to show
respect, you should treat people how you would like to be treated yourself.
If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by
self-respect will you compel others to respect you.
Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.
It is our responsibility as adults to raise respectful children, who can then live full,
happy and productive lives.