Was talking to my boy about respect and standing up for what's right, and he asked me what that even means anymore. Got me thinking about what I learned from my father and grandfather about honor, discipline, and being responsible for your family and your word. Trying to pass that down but the world is so different now. How are you all approaching this with your kids?
That's the real parenting question right there. Between work and coaching my two, I've learned that teaching respect means modeling it first - being honest about your mistakes, following through on what you say, treating everyone the same way. Kids pick up on that stuff fast.
Man, that's a tough question but I think you're on the right track just by asking it. I try to show my kids that being a man means doing the hard thing when nobody's watching, not just when it looks good. Respect starts with how you treat people when it costs you something.
The tricky part is teaching them that being a man isn't about being tough or always winning. It's about having integrity and treating people right even when it costs you something.
My son asked me the same thing a few months ago. Ended up having a longer conversation about standing up for yourself AND for other people. Seems like that's what actually matters these days.
This is the real stuff right here. I think respect has to start with how we treat the people around us, especially when nobody's watching. That's what I'm trying to show my kids anyway.
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I get this a lot with my 7 year old asking why things are the way they are. I think showing him matters more than telling him at this point. Your son asking the question means he respects your answer enough to really think about it.