RESPECT is a concept which is so important to teach our teens, especially in a time and place where respect no longer seems very important. An old-fashioned value which in our politically correct world takes a back-seat to spin factors, respect nevertheless is a value upon our country was built.
What do I mean? Respect for others means listening politely when they express ideas with which you do not agree. Respect describes a code of conduct where you value other people's right to think differently, to worship differently, and to live differently from the way in which you conduct yourself. And respect is a reciprocal interaction, not a one-way street. In our society today, which is so polarized, we hear that not following the party line means that we don't matter. So how in the world do we teach our teens respect?
We teach our teens respect by pointing out to them that the adult members of our population, as exhibited frequently in our media, are woefully lacking in this virtue. We teach them that even though our elected officials behave in a disrespectful manner to many members of our society, that this does not make their behavior the right behavior. We model respect for them by the way in which we talk about others - even those with whom we disagree. We show respect in the highest form by listening, but not compromising our core values of integrity, respect, family values, and work.
By behaving in this manner and having open discussions with our teens, we will possibly earn their respect as well.
Dr. Debra
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