You probably know the phrase, “Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself”. When we show respect for someone, we don’t have to agree with them, or even necessarily like them, but we can still behave politely towards them. Respect means thinking about the feelings, wishes, and rights of another person.
So how can you teach your child to respect other people and have respect for themselves?
We’re all different. We have our own likes and beliefs, hobbies and personalities, and we look and sound different to each other. Some of these differences are protected by the Equality Act to make sure we’re all treated fairly in society.
Being different is obvious to us as adults, but it can come as a surprise to children. Young children can assume that everyone is just like them. It can shock them to find there are lots of different families who make different choices from their own.
You may notice this after playdates when they tell you all about the things their friend’s family does differently from yours.
As children grow older, they notice other differences, such as:
Sometimes, it can be embarrassing when they point out these differences when you’d rather they didn’t, and their questions can seem never-ending! However, children are naturally curious and ask questions to understand the world around them. It’s okay if you don’t know the answers; you can look them up together and talk about what you’ve found out.
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