Summary:  Starting At Home The home is the practice arena for everything external. Children first need to be taught to respect their parents. Things like voice tone, proper response, and facial expressions are areas we can work on with in the home even from a young age. From toddlerhood on they can practices as they begin to exert themselves. They can be taught to look at someone while they are speaking; this is also helpful to ensure that they are listening. They can also be taught to respond to questions that another adult asks. This includes being polite to others, a please and thank you can go along way. This also includes teaching them words of respect like, Mr./Ms. or Sir and Ma’am. As children get older decide the things in your house that will not be tolerated because they communicate disrespect. These can build on the things like voice tone and facial expressions.  Things like talking back or yelling back, and temper tantrums, which in older kids and teens look like stomping and slamming things or doors. This is another place that we as adults can set the example. Make sure that we are communicating respect not only to our spouse but to our children as well, in how we speak to them and about them.  Listen to today’s podcast for more on this topic.
