Respect is the sense of worth or value that we attach to the people and things in our lives. It’s an overall evaluation that we give based on a variety of factors and standards. Respect is an important skill that many children learn from their parents and develop at a young age. Children learn the basics of respect through sharing and caring for others, saying please and thank you and so on. Teaching respect is definitely an essential part of helping children develop and mature.
But what about self-respect? While learning to respect others is an integral part of growing up, it is equally important for children to understand the meaning and purpose of self-respect. It is crucial that they learn to take pride in their work, have confidence in themselves and meet their own personal needs.
Here are a few different ways that parents can inspire their children to develop and value a strong sense of self-respect:
Take Care of Your Body
Living a healthy lifestyle is an important part of self-respect. Parents can encourage their children to exercise and eat well as a sign of self-respect. Spending time exercising as a family can be a fun and beneficial activity to do all together. There are a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities that families can enjoy like hiking, biking, running, yoga or dancing. Eating healthy foods is another important part of respecting our bodies. Consider filling your kitchen with fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods to encourage healthy choices. Offering water or naturally flavored water instead of juice can help decrease the amount of sugar that children digest and it can help make water their drink of choice.
Prioritizing mental, social and emotional health is another critical aspect of caring for our bodies. It’s important to spend time helping children learn how to understand, process, and express their emotions in a safe and healthy manner. Children with a strong sense of self-respect tend to be more confident and comfortable when engaging with their peers. Compass Charter Schools (CCS) understands the value of children’s social-emotional development. CCS’ team of counselors work closely with scholars and their parents to offer guidance in a variety of ways including mental, social and emotional support. CCS also provides several professional resources for scholars and their parents to help with their scholar’s social-emotional development.
Respect Your Environment
Caring for our personal space and belongings is an essential part of self-respect and a critical skill that children need as they grow and develop. Guiding children to respect their environment by having them put away their toys, make their bed and clean up when they make a mess, is another essential part of teaching them to respect their personal space. In addition, when children learn how to play gently with new toys, they learn to respect their own personal belongings and keep them from breaking. It is equally important that children learn how to be careful when using toys or materials that belong to others. They can show respect for others by using property that does not belong to them respectfully. Respecting our surroundings and belongings is a simple yet important skill that can help children develop an even stronger sense of self-respect.
Take Responsibility for Your Words
It’s no secret that our words have great power and can have a positive or negative effect on ourselves and those around us. Learning to take responsibility for what we say is a critical part of self-respect. Children can demonstrate the basics of this principle by being honest and thoughtful when engaging with others. There are, however, a few additional ways that we can encourage children to take responsibility for their words. Helping children understand the nuances of word choice, tone and volume when speaking to others is another way to encourage the responsible use of words. Parents can also discuss with their children the importance of using factual information when talking with others. Inevitably, children will make mistakes as they learn how to take responsibility for their words. At times they may speak inappropriately and will then need to take responsibility for their mistakes. Although it may not always seem easy, learning to apologize is a skill that children need in order to take responsibility for the things they say. Supporting, encouraging and modeling the process of apologizing also helps children grow their understanding of self-respect.
Understand Your Boundaries
As children grow and mature they will face challenges and have to make decisions. The decisions that we make can have a lasting impact on our lives, even for children. Self-respect forms the foundation of a person’s decision-making, how they treat themselves, and how they allow others to treat them. Setting personal boundaries helps children create parameters to determine how they will allow others to treat them, which encourages the development of self-respect. Parents can help children set guidelines and encourage them to make wise decisions for their own well-being and self-respect. Those boundaries may include saying no to negative peer pressure or choosing to avoid daring or dangerous activities. Children should develop their own unique personal boundaries to encourage their sense of self-respect and to help keep themselves safe.
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Compass Charter Schools (CCS) is a WASC-accredited virtual charter school that serves families throughout California. Interested in learning more about CCS’ flexible academic programs? Visit our website, or contact our enrollment team at enrollment@compasscharters.org or (877) 506-8631.