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!"