Having respect for others depends on the amount of respect a person has for them self.   In order for a child to learn how to respect others, a child must also be respected.  That is, one can only give it if one receives it.

     It is important that you discuss with your child that which constitutes respect.  Your child should know about respectful words, tone of voice, and actions when interacting with others.  If you catch your child not respecting others, make a point of it to stop your child, explain to him what he is doing wrong, and have him correct his behavior.

     Also, try to make sure that your child is being respected at home by all family members.  Not only should your child be respected with regards to his or her words and actions, but also his or her opinions, wants, and needs.  We tend to forget that we must also respect the feelings and wishes of others.

     Furthermore, make sure your child understands that other kids come from different cultures, backgrounds, and environments and that your child should respect these differences.  Show your child how to appropriately respond to another child who has a ‘different’ lunch that might not appear appetizing.  Or, teach your child how to appropriately respond to different attire, customs, and accents.

     A great way to do so is to expose your child to books that have images of different cultures.  This will give your child some background information so that cultural differences won’t seem alien.

     Finally, explain to your child that when he or she doesn’t accept others, they feel disrespected and won’t want to play with or associate with your child (see the respect checklist in the resource section of this book).