TEACH RESPECT BY SHOWING RESPECT

Halloween is around the corner and what better time to teach your children how to be respectful for all the candy they are about to receive.   With all the sugar overload and stimulation, we have all been through the meltdowns at some stage of the evening.  This is developmentally appropriate for young children so don't fret.

What you can control is trying to lay a foundation for children to learn appropriate behavior and respect for others.   If you model and show kindness and respect when talking to and interacting with others, children will copy your behavior.

Here are some points that can be taught to little ones:

●     Respect means treating people and friends the way you want to be treated

●     Even if a friend is different from you, we have to treat them with respect

●     When we tidy our toys away, we are respecting them and each other in the family

It’s an ongoing process to teach children respect for animals, property and people. Try these pointers to guide you in the right direction:

1. Children will mimic behavior as they see it.  If they see caregivers interacting with friends, a spouse, teachers and other children with respect and patience, they will do the same.   Setting examples of how to treat your pet, your friends and your family members is the first point of call.
    
2. There was once common thinking that scolding, fear based teaching was the best example to scare children into listening.  Child development experts now know that spanding, yelling and harsh punishments are counterproductive.   Anger punishment teaches that a bigger person can hit and yell at a smaller person and that’s alright. This just teaches children fear not respect.
    
3. Use the opportunity while watching movies or reading to point out respectful speech or disrespectful behavior.  
    
4. Point out respectful behavior to your little ones eg:I am giving up my chair to this lady so that she can sit while the bus is moving.   This is the respectful thing to do for people who are older than you and need to rest.
    
5. Talking about respecting the garden or the environment while not wasting water are all good examples of respecting your environment.   As they get a little older, explaining how to recycle so that we can help the environment and reuse things is also a respectful lesson to be taught.
    
6. A great tool to use are words that can help them express their feelings without screaming, kicking and throwing tantrums.  Help them to understand words like:
   I feel sad, I feel angry, I feel so tired, I am frustrated, I am excited.   These are all expressions that will help to calm them down.
   All in all these are just tips to help you with your children as they grow and mature and as you experiment with different methods of helping your children to become respectful adults.  Each child is different and what works for one might not work for others.