TODAY THE WORDS are PARENTS BEWARE.  Normally, as I place my fingers on the keyboard, I don’t have a clue as to the subject but this morning is different as a sensitive subject has presented itself and I feel deeply this should be the topic this morning. Hopefully, if there are young parents reading this, it can be beneficial to all parents. I am borrowing a post from a friend from FB and I thought her words were so heartfelt and could be instrumental for parents. I know she would not mind me using her words and then we will go to the deeper thought. Here is her post:

Here is an excerpt from an enlightening article on THE RETURN OF RESPECT

The Return of Respect!

Oh, baby, it’s a rude world — which is why it’s more important than ever that we teach our kids this classic value.

By Nicole Caccavo Kear from Parents Magazine

Soon after he started kindergarten, my sweet 5-year-old came down with a whopping case of bad attitude. “Please may I have some juice?” became “Where’s my juice?” Words like stupid and lazy started peppering his speech and, most glaring of all, he started issuing ultimatums. When I heard “If you don’t give me that ice cream, I’m going to spit on you,” I felt like shouting — but instead, I forced myself to bite my tongue. After I regained my composure, I said: “That’s not an okay way to talk. It’s hurtful and unkind. I need you to speak to me with respect, please.”

Respect. Thanks to Aretha, we all know how to spell it. But sadly, in today’s world (where rudeness is so pervasive that even our president gets heckled while making a speech), we no longer expect that everyone will show respect for others. The good news is that we can teach our kids this critical value — and in doing so, we’ll end up imparting crucial lessons in kindness, consideration, honesty, open-mindedness, and gratitude as well. The most effective way to teach kids respectful behavior is to model it yourself, says Victoria Kindle Hodson, coauthor of Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids. But beyond walking the walk, there are plenty of simple strategies you can use.

Demand Good Manners

Acting polite isn’t merely a formality, says psychotherapist Ingrid Schweiger, Ph.D., author of Self-Esteem for a Lifetime. “When kids say ‘thanks’ after something is given to them, they acknowledge that there’s a mutual exchange going on, a give-and-take,” she explains. And by going through the motions, they eventually learn not to expect the world on a silver platter.

Even toddlers can learn to say “please” and “thank you,” while preschoolers should be expected to look people in the eye when they greet them and to say “hello” and “goodbye.” Be prepared to give plenty of gentle reminders. “When my boys were younger I was constantly cueing them to say ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Excuse me.’ Now, as a result, it mostly comes naturally to them,” says Debbie Oser, of North Wales, Pennsylvania. But sometimes a nudge isn’t enough: If you’re taking your kids someplace that requires a specific kind of behavior (say, your office or an upscale store), make sure they understand what’s expected of them. “Before we go out to eat, we review proper manners and warn our kids that if they don’t act appropriately, they’ll be removed from the restaurant. And we make sure we follow through with that — even if we really want to stay,” says Sarah Natividad, a mom of four in Tooele, Utah.