Building Respect

Use ‘teachable moments’ to explain respect

Teaching your child respectful behavior isn’t like teaching her how to ride a bike. You can’t have her practice once or twice and expect the lesson to sink in.

Instead, look for moments when good—or bad—behavior is on display. By talking about what you see, your child will learn a powerful lesson. Talk about respect as you:

• Watch a sporting event. If a baseball manager disagrees with an umpire’s call, what does he do? If he runs onto the field screaming, ask your child, “What would happen if you did that to your teacher? What do you think would happen if I acted like that at work?”
• Watch television. Many TV shows today confuse humor with disrespect. If you hear a put-down or disrespectful comment on a show, talk about it with your child. What are more respectful ways to talk with people?

Reprinted with permission from the March 2008 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2008 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Margaret Sagarese and Charlene Giannetti, “Character Education Begins at Home,” OurChildren Magazine, October 2004 (National PTA, 1-800-307-4782, www.pta.org).