Respect

Statements to Encourage Respect

These statements and questions are designed to be simple and easy for children to understand, helping them learn about respect in a fun and engaging way. At first it may feel a little unnatural to use the values vocabulary but with practise it will soon become part of your family's dialogue.

Respect for Others:

"I love how you listened to your friend's/brother's/sister's ideas. That's showing respect!"
"You should treat others the way you would like to be treated. How can we show respect to others today?"
"Thank you for using kind words. Speaking nicely shows respect."

Respect for Self:

"Taking care of yourself is a way of showing respect for who you are."
"Believing in yourself and being proud of what you do is respecting yourself."
"It's great that you were able to explain how you were feeling/what you needed. Respecting yourself is important."

Respect for Environment:

"Keeping your room tidy shows respect for your space."
"Let's make sure we recycle. Respecting the environment is everyone's job."
"Thank you for helping to clean up. Respecting our surroundings is important."

Respect for Rules and Boundaries:

"Following the rules at home and school shows respect for everyone."
"It's important to respect other people's boundaries. How can we make sure we are doing that?"
"Thank you for waiting your turn. Respecting rules helps everyone get along."

Questions to Encourage Reflection on Respect

"How did you show respect today?"
"Can you think of a time when someone showed you respect? How did it make you feel?"
"What are some ways we can show respect to our family members?"
"Why is it important to respect other people's opinions, even if we don't agree with them?"

Praise for Respectful Actions

"I noticed you helped your sibling with their homework. That was very respectful!"
"You did a great job listening to your teacher. That's showing respect!"
"Thank you for being patient and waiting your turn. That's a respectful thing to do!"