Youth ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION

CHARACTER TALK

RESPECTING PARENTS

• Introduction and Definition

• Definition: To feel or show esteem, honor, and appreciation for.
• Obedience is usually the best way to show respect.
   
• Parents deserve special respect because they take care of us and usually love us more than anyone. Parents are not perfect but most parents want their children to do better in life than they have. 
• If you thing it is hard being a kid, it can be even harder being a good parent.

• Notes for Mentor-Student discussion

• Ask the students and mentors to list three ways that they can show respect for their parents.
• Obeying immediately when asked to do something
• Saying “please” and “thank-you.”
• Performing chores around the house
• Talking to them about school and by asking them for advice
• Remembering birthdays and anniversaries
   
• Why is it important to respect parents
• They brought us into the world.
• They know more than we do.
• They care about us a lot, even if they do not always show it.
   
• How are some ways we can show “disrespect” for our parents
• Disobedience
• Making fun of or laughing at
• Arguing with them
   
• Students and mentors should discuss examples where they benefited by obeying their parents.
• Mentors should tell students what kind of parent they would like to be and then ask the students to do the same.

• Notes for general group discussion

• What does it mean to Respect your parents?
• Give some examples of how obeying them have helped you in the past
• List ways we can live this virtue better

• Summary points

• Being a parent is very difficult and sometimes they are not able to show us all the affection that we would like, but they love us and care about us more than we can understand. 
• Take away line: Love and obey your parents.

More on Respecting Parents

1)   All people should be respected, if only because they are persons. Parents however, are due special respect because:

a)   They chose to bring us into the world and give us life.
b)   They have provided us with food and shelter since we were born.
c)   They are usually the ones who love us more than anyone.

2)   Being a parent is not easy. Most parents have to work to earn money, clean, cook and keep house, and worry about how to get their children to grow up to be better than they are (the sincere wish of every good parent).

3)   Challenge your students to come up with ways in which they can show more respect for their parents. Here are some examples:

a)   Encourage them to talk to their parents, especially when the have a problem.
b)   Introduce their friends to their parents.
c)   Apologize to their parents whenever they offend them.
d)   Remember their parents’ birthdays and anniversary.
e)   Keep their room neat and clean. Make their bed each day (very important).
f)    They should do their chores quickly and without complaint.
g)   They should not ask for a lot of material things.
h)   They should try to improve their table manners.
i)    They should learn to control their temper and avoid fighting with siblings.
j)    Smile more!

4)   Children should never be resentful when corrected. Remind them that when parents get upset, it is usually because they are trying save their children from making the same mistakes they did.