Respect is something all children will begin to understand as they develop their independence, learn about responsibility and become a bigger part of the family. But you can teach your child about respect from a young age. In this guide from one of the top boarding schools, we take a look at the ways you can raise a respectful child in your home.
Promote respect towards your child
If you’re respectful to your child, and offer it on a daily basis, your child’s highly likely to follow your direction. To do this each day, ask your child to make decisions as to what they want to eat in the mornings, what they’d like to wear for the day and let them decide what to do on your days off together. These show to your child that you’ve got a lot of trust in them and their success.
Praise your child for their efforts
Good effort is better than doing nothing at all. Show your child that you’re continually proud of them by giving them rewards or praise for showing how well they’ve done at something, whether it’s a school test or an art project, or even just having a fun time at a playgroup. The reassurance that you’re happy for them no matter what they do will give them a lot more confidence, and they’ll learn to respect you for the work you’ve put in to make them grow.
Include your child’s point of view in discussions
Not sure where to go on holiday? While your child might not give you the best choice at random, they could help you narrow it down for you. Show them a couple of sights from some holiday destinations and lay them down and see if they can help you decide the best places to go. This is just an example of how your child can be a part of entire family decisions and their influence in the home. They then learn that you respect them and their opinion on a lot of things, with which your child can return the favour.
Validate your child’s feelings
A lot of your child’s thoughts and feelings are going to be influenced by others, and it’s wise to keep an eye on them when they’re feeling low and in need of extra support. Talk to them often, identify areas where you can help your child, and validate their feelings. Nothing’s worse than a parent telling their child they’re overreacting. Be there for your child and understand what makes them happy and you’ll nurture a happy and healthy relationship between you and your child.
*This is a collaborative post