Importance of Imparting Respect and Courtesy in Children

As with all things, culture and behavior change with time. During the recent past, there has been a noticeable change in our culture: there’s a trend toward disrespectful and discourteous behavior. The vital factor of moving about in a civilized and polite manner needs to be instilled in our children from their young age.

Significance of Nurturing Gracious Behavior in Children
Having to move with peers and others having different types of attitudes, growing children are naturally influenced by what they see and hear. It is through proper guidance and education that they come to understand what is right and what is expected of them from society.

With rudeness going rampant among grown-ups and the modern youngsters, there’s a crucial need to check and channelize our children’s behavior so that they develop the virtues of respecting others and being courteous on all occasions. To bring about a positive change in the way individuals conduct themselves, the best route is through fostering these qualities in our children.

Natural Attitude of Children
By nature, children are inclined toward empathy, kindness, and compassion. It is during the phase of their life wherein they get exposed to varied behaviors that they alter course. Their natural inclination toward graceful, socially acceptable behavior must be protected; the seeds of essential qualities must be sown and fostered to enable them grow as great human beings.

How Do Children Learn Respect and Courtesy
Courtesy and being polite are not achieved by just following a set of acceptable behaviors. It is the way children view the world. It is like a viewing glass through which they look and perceive. By making use of this looking glass, a child has to learn to respect itself first so that it is enabled to develop healthy and happy relationship with others, while improving self-esteem.

Children have the amazing natural ability to absorb what they see and hear. All information that a child comes across by feeling, listening, and seeing are transmitted into its mind and etched forever. Hence, it is essential that parents and teachers take responsibility to present a good model with their own behavior.

Effective Steps for Parents To Develop Respect and Courtesy in Children

  •  Educate the child about differences and guide it to learn to follow acceptable and gracious behavior
  •  Parents must first model themselves – they need to convey, through their own behavior, that kindness, courtesy, and forgiving are the vital virtues in life
  •  Guide the children in learning to read others’ emotions and teach them how they need to react
  •  Help children and let them help others in all possible manners – children must learn to be helpful and extend empathy to others
  •  Parents and teachers need to exercise caution over their language and behavior – they are the role models of growing children

Sharanalaya School follows the principles and ideologies of Dr. Maria Montessori. We have unique learning materials and environment that help young ones to grow naturally and mature into caring adults.