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Being respectful involves acknowledging and accommodating other people’s needs and opinions, being kind and considerate, and tolerating differences. We all want our children to grow up to be respectful adults, and thankfully there is a lot we can do as parents to encourage this. We should also treat our children with respect and expect it from them in return. Here a girls’ prep school in Surrey explores some ways you can raise a respectful child.
Teach healthy conflict resolution
It’s inevitable your child will be exposed to different ideas and outlooks on life, some of which they won’t agree with depending on their own moral values. The key is to teach them how to tolerate and respect other people’s opinions, even if they clash with their own. The best thing you can do to promote this is to practise it yourself in your own disagreements with people, especially with your child. Model respect by listening to their thoughts and feelings and giving them the time and space to explore these. Demonstrate what mutual respect looks like and practise ways to manage conflicting opinions so your child feels confident doing this in their everyday interactions with people.
Model and teach politeness and manners
One basic aspect of respect is talking to people politely and using good manners, something which your child should be taught from an early age. Make sure they see you saying please and thank you, patiently waiting your turn and being gracious to others. Showing gratitude is also respectful, so prompt your child to show thanks as much as possible; for example, they could write a thank you card to everyone who came to their birthday party or ring their grandparents to say thank you for their Christmas presents.
Expose them to different cultures
Encouraging your child to get involved in different cultural activities will teach them that there are many different ways of being in the world and that their perspective on life is only one of them. Cultivate their sense of curiosity about the world by participating in multicultural events and holidays run in the community, or taking time to research other nationalities and cultures. This is increasingly important in today’s multicultural society.
Teach listening skills
We can show our respect for others by giving them our full attention and really listening to them. Practise debating skills by giving each member of the family time to express their thoughts on a particular topic, and encourage others to listen fully and not interrupt. Make sure you model this yourself by listening carefully to your child when they ask you something or express their opinion.