I think showing our children respect is the best parenting advice I could give.One of the biggest mistakes parents make regarding their children is the manner in which they speak to them. I hear much too often parents speaking to their children with a demeaning tone, yelling, extreme sarcasm, and in other disrespectful ways. Parents, this is wrong.
Not only is it wrong, but if we continue to do such, we will slowly but surely loose our children’s respect and then “AMEN” to our ability to parent successfully.
Here's a few tips to help you follow this "best" parenting advice of respect:
Watch your tone
For some reason, many adults think that they have a license to speak to children in a derogatory tone, simply because they are children. Here’s what I know. I know that the people that we should show the greatest care with, that we should speak the most respectful to, that we should be the most gentle with, are within the walls of our homes.We cannot get from our children what we are not willing to give to them.
Honor - a Two Way Street
If we want out children to honor us, then we must honor them. Of course there are times that we must correct our children, but it is during these times that we should be the most careful with our speech.Correcting is supposed to be an act of love, not an act of anger.
When we correct our children, they should be able to feel and see that we are acting out of love and concern for them, even if they disagree with our decision.
The Big Picture - Childhood to Adult Relationship
Parents, please be careful. We are not guaranteed a positive relationship with our children when they become adults. So many adults that I meet today, have difficult relationships with their parents as adults and it most often stems from their childhood and how their parents treated them.We do not have a license to demean, embarrass, humiliate or scream at our children.
These actions slowly but surely take a piece of our children's "heart" away and slowly but surely deteriorate the amount of respect they have for us.Please reevaluate the manner in which you speak to your children and head to this parenting advice. Ladies and gentlemen strive to treat everyone with the utmost respect and honor, regardless of their age, size or mental ability.
Have an amazing week!
Monica Irvine
