Home
>
Parenting
>
Teaching Respect And Values In Todays Society

Teaching Respect And Values In Todays Society

The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer spoke these words:

"Don't go there. Have you any idea how many kids have been stabbed in the past year? They'll kill you as soon as look at you. They have no respect for life."

The mother breathed a sigh of relief. She had come in to school to seek my help, as I was her daughter's Guidance Counsellor. We needed to convince the girl that the places she was frequenting were putting her very life in danger.

Fortunately a police officer was in school that day to speak to a Social Education class - and I got him to sit in on the interview.

So where was the young girl going that put her life in such peril? What underground haunts were enticing her?

None other than an area of the city where two school friends lived. But as you may guess, it was an area rife with drug abuse and its attendant crimes. Many people there had lost respect both for themselves and for life in general.

So how do we teach respect and values in a society that's rapidly becoming valueless?

Believe it or not, it's relatively easy!

All we have to do is go back to basics. Remember what Grandma used to say? - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

This might sound a bit 'corny' or 'naff' in today's world, but if ever a saying deserved to be revitalised and repeated again and again, this is it!

Today our kids need to learn RESPECT for themselves; for other people; for other people's rights, customs and valid beliefs; for property; for materials; and for the earth itself.

The more people who do this, the more we will have a counter-balance to the uncaring and disrespectful trends we see all around.

Yes, that's all very well, but HOW do we do it?

In two ways - and as I said, it's easy!

First and foremost MODEL the values and respect you wish your children to develop.

That's it. SHOW them by your own lifestyle. You don't even need to articulate these values - but as we'll see later, discussing them and commenting on them can make an even bigger impact.

Many successful parents are neither educated nor articulate, and they say very little. They let their actions speak louder than words.

There's nothing new in this. To use an old-fashioned phrase, these parents give a good example. (Some of today's psychologists think they've come up with a new approach when they talk about 'modelling appropriate behaviour patterns'. Yes . . !)

To be fair, many parents I talk to are unaware of the potential they have to influence their kids. It comes as a surprise to many to learn that THEY are the most influential teachers their kids will ever have.

Our children are like sponges. They soak up our attitudes, our habits, our speech patterns - our way of seeing the world.

So if YOU show respect for yourself, for others, for property and for the earth, you won't go wrong.

But you can enhance or reinforce this process by instructing your kids.

Without lecturing or 'sermonising' we can give guidelines for everyday activities. For example:

* leave the bathroom as you'd like to find it
* use resources like water carefully
* consider others by playing music softly or by using headphones
* give a helping hand in the classroom, in the playground, at home
* treat others with kindness, gentleness, care and sympathy
* look after yourself in the same way.

When bad or undesirable behaviour is modelled on TV or elsewhere, comment on it and discuss why we wouldn't do that.

In a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society, let's help our kids to tolerate, appreciate and even celebrate differences. Help them realise we all have different customs and habits, and there are pros as well as cons in these differences.

Help your child to be assertive. There's no need to be aggressive or offensive when defending our values. We should assert them proudly and courageously, and we should avoid a passive denial when others are mocking.

Lastly there's self-control. If you give a good example - sorry, if you 'model appropriate behaviour'! - AND teach your kids why it is important, then you and your family can face the future with confidence.

Happy parenting!

Why do some parents and children succeed, while others fail? Frank McGinty is an internationally published author and teacher. If you want to develop your parenting skills and encourage your kids to be all they can be, visit his web pages, http://www.frank-mcginty.com/peace-formula.html AND http://www.frank-mcginty.com/peace-formula.html

executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car

In The News:

Getting virus alerts on your iPhone? Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to handle fake scam alerts and boost security.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says opening emails is safe, but risks arise from interacting with links, attachments or HTML content.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals four signs of compromised Social Security numbers and offers five steps to protect yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how MAB Robotics' Honey Badger 4.0, a versatile robot, now walks underwater with amphibious skills.

An updated Android trojan called FakeCall hijacks bank calls. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Android phone manufacturers and Google need to step up their game on security.

The Massimo Modular E9 is a sleek, smart and comfy tiny home in 409 square feet. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at what the future of housing might look like.

Every stock trader should consider a virtual private network to safeguard their trading, according to tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson.

Apple recently announced its new lineup of Macs and rolled out Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature for its products.

A Swiss-engineered robot can climb ladders, showing why it's at the cutting edge of autonomous robotic solutions for harsh industrial settings.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson presents the cities targeted most by robocalls, why this is happening and what you can do about it to protect your privacy.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares tips and suggestions for how to get the best use out of the updated Calendar app available with the latest iOS update.

Your Social Security number, your unique identifier used for many purposes, has likely been leaked on the Dark Web; here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.

Researchers have developed a new technology that creates strong, sticky fibers capable of lifting objects and capturing things from a distance.

Smart rings track the same things that smartwatches do, including steps, sleep and a general overview of your overall health, and they tend have more battery life than smartwatches.

Researchers have developed a robotic finger that can perform routine medical exams like those conducted by doctors, helping to address the growing shortage of trained professionals.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Insurance administrative services company Landmark Admin reported that a data breach from a May cyberattack affected over 800,000 people.

Sotheby's will auction the first artwork created by Ai-Da, the world's first robot artist created in 2019 by British gallerist Aidan Meller.

More than 250 million users of the Verizon Messages app will have to switch to another app. Verizon is shutting down Messages in the next month.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides a list of 10 celebrities who are the most targeted by deepfake scams, including Tom Hanks.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Vast's Haven-1, launching in 2025, transforms space living with human-centric design.

UnitedHealth confirms over 100 million Change Healthcare users had their data stolen. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals what happened and what caused the breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how iOS 18 brings new text formatting and animated effects to the Messages app.

Whether you're a social media veteran or novice, Facebook friend request scams are common. Kurt the CyberGuy provides tips to keep your account safe.

Teaching Respect And Values In Todays Society

Parenting