 A
couple weeks ago I asked my wife to take one of my performance suits
to the cleaners I even reminded her a couple times before I left
for my job, when I returned I noticed that she hadn’t taken
the suit to be cleaned. Frustrated and upset I shouted, “I
asked you three times to do this for me! You never listen!”
The next day
my son Colin questioned, "Did you fill up my bike tires with
air yet?" I told him I had forgotten and he shouted,“
I asked you three times to do this for me! You never listen!"
We want our
children to be respectful but how can they learn respect when we
as parents are demonstrating disrespect. It doesn’t’
take a degree in psychology to know that our children are watching
our every move. They are learning and mimicking our behavior and
reactions. If you don’t believe me take a mental note of what
you have learned from your parents and find the similarities.
Yes we should
reprimand our children when they are rude or mean to others but
as parents we must also change what we say and do. When we are polite
to the waitress at the restaurant, sincere and happy when others
win or keep our hands on the wheel and mouth zipped tight when being
cut off while driving, we not only display kindness but also respect
and self-control.
“Kindness
is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
- Mark Twain
Here are a
few respectful suggestions:
- Daily take
a mental note of what you think and say about others.
- Be polite
to your children. If you want them to do something for you, make
sure you say, “please.” When they have accomplished
the task remember to say, “thank you”.
- Be polite
to people you meet by also saying please and thank you.
- Always
applaud the success of others.
- Stop the
negative gossip of family members, friends and neighbors.
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