As parents, we often think of the need for our children to earn our respect through their words and actions. But respect is a two-way street, and our kids have an internal “respect meter” themselves, whether verbalized or not.
Here are 5 simple reminders for how to earn the respect of your kids on a heart level this week.
Be present. To a child, love is spelled T-I-M-E. Making time with them a priority, and just showing up in the times they need you and want you to be there for them speaks louder than words.
Keep your word. Kids are naturally forgiving, but they don’t easily forget. Your word is your bond. Break it enough times, and their memory will speak louder than your mouth. But keep your word, and your kids will respect both it and you.
Love their mom or dad. Your child’s respect for you and your respect for their mom or dad are inseparable. Loving their other parent automatically speaks love to your child. God designed it to be this way. Even if you’re in a complex family situation, you kids will be the beneficiaries of your respect towards one another.
Invest in them. Kids know value when they see it, and they naturally look up to those who pour themselves into them. Listen. Care. Sacrifice. The older they get, the more they’re inwardly keeping score of this.
Apologize. All parents make mistakes. These moments give us an opportunity to rest in God’s grace while showing it to our kids at the same time. Saying “I’m sorry” when you’re wrong is one of the simplest yet most powerful things you can do to earn the respect of your kids. Being real always earns more respect than being right.
There are a lot more than five ways to earn your child’s respect, but hopefully these five are good reminders as a starting point.
What other ways come to mind that you would add to this list?
