Do your children respect you and themselves?

Many parents I hear from feel that they are losing this battle for respect and, with it, their ability to positively influence their children. Many children I talk to don’t feel that their parents are relevant anymore. Well, let me say this loud and clear: You better be relevant in this toxic culture in which we live or your children are doomed. However discouraged you may feel, you must continue to fight the good fight for the sake of your children. And this battle begins with respect!

NFL star Terrell Owens doing his outrageous touchdown dances. American Idol’s Simon Cowell humiliating well-intentioned-if untalented-singers. Hip-hop artists who demean women in their music. There is no shortage of forces in popular culture that resist your efforts to teach your children the value of respect. It can sometimes feel like you’re being overwhelmed by an onslaught of disrespect.

Many parents I hear from feel that they are losing this battle for respect and, with it, their ability to positively influence their children. Many children I talk to don’t feel that their parents are relevant anymore. Well, let me say this loud and clear: You better be relevant in this toxic culture in which we live or your children are doomed. However discouraged you may feel, you must continue to fight the good fight for the sake of your children. And this battle begins with respect!

The reality is that you have a much greater impact on your children than you think, but only if you maintain their respect. For example, a recent study reported that teenagers are less likely to begin smoking if their parents express disapproval. Additionally, the disapproval diminished the effect that peer pressure had on whether they took up smoking. Similar findings were found on the influence of parents on teenagers’ use of alcohol and drugs.

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