Respect

I think it is mostly learned from example. If you are a respectful person the children will learn over time to respect it and follow suit.

I was the only woman on our street, which was filled with young families, who expected the kids to call me Mrs. I was so glad I did it too because for some reason the Mrs. seemed to trigger something in the kids and they all tried to have good manners when they were around me. A couple of years down the line a couple of the other mothers tried to get the kids to call them Mrs. but it was too late. People will tell you it's old fashioned but it really pays off. My kids called all adults Mr. or Mrs.

Calling teachers by their first name? No way. Bad idea. Even as a parent I won't do it. I had teachers say, "Oh call me Linda." but I wouldn't do it. I was glad later when 'Linda' was trying to tell me my son had ADD and needed Ritalin because he daydreamed and zoned out now and then! I wouldn't have wanted to have had that conversation on a first name basis.

 

Respect cant be commanded. We can act respectfully. I cant tell someone to respect me. In that way respect is earned through actions.

I think that different people respect different qualities in people

I also think that we should always treat people with respect. It is important to find something in the other person to respect.

 

As far as I'm concerned, respect shouldn't matter at all. It means nothing. Moreover, the battle for respect among people seems to me more harmful than useful. It has almost no good application, and a long list of negative consequences.

Is it always earned or can it be bestowed (eg. by title)? Both lead to each other in some situations. People with titles get good opportunities to earn legit respect. That doesn't make it fair, of course.

What do you think of children calling their teachers by their first name? Good or bad idea? How about their parents? Doesn't matter. I'd call my parents "mom" and "dad". If it were up to me, parents and teachers would treat children as equals, always. I'm very lucky also to have been brought up that way.

Is being respectful learnt or innate? Learnt.

Are children and people in general more or less respectful these days? Less.

Cheers!