Parental respect is one of the things that many teens or kids do not pay enough attention to.
Children always ask their parents for a lot of things, and parents try hard to get these things because the source of their happiness is a smile on their kids’ faces.
The least you can do is to appreciate and respect your parents for all the things they do and will do for you unconditionally by treating them with kindness, understanding, and courtesy.
Check out the table of contents of our article:
Why should you respect your parents?
Is respect given or earned?
Asian or Eastern countries give respect to people according to their social status, regardless of their manners, but in Western countries, people earn their respect by showing a good attitude and behavior.
Children should know that respect is given and earned if they have a healthy relationship with their parents.
Parents are given respect when kids are still toddlers; they show love and respect to their parents unconditionally because they are the only ones they know, secure their needs, and feel safe with them.
Parents earn their respect by being supportive and caring for their kids’ emotions and needs, so they work hard to make them happy as much as possible.
However, this kind of relationship should be nurtured by both the parents and the children to last forever.
Why should you respect your parents?
They make sacrifices and wait for nothing in return.
Since the day you were born, your parents have sacrificed everything, like their happiness, time, and effort, to make you happy and satisfied.
In this case, you should respect your parents and appreciate all their efforts because they do all of this willingly and wait for nothing in return.
They are your true friends.
We all have friends, and we love to spend time with them because we think they are funny and friendly.
On the contrary, we think our parents are old-fashioned and spending time with them is dull, but when we need support, they will be the first ones to rush to help us.
When I was preparing my wedding party and needed help from the people I knew, only my parents were there for me when I needed help, and not a single one of my friends offered to help me at all.
They are mortal.
Since the day we were born, we have had our parents in front of our eyes every day.
Sometimes, we feel that they will be there forever when we need them, and we take them for granted, but no, they will not be there forever because we all get old and will leave them someday.
Respecting parents is a must because if you do not care about them now, you might not get another chance and regret it.
They were merciful to you in childhood.
When you were just a baby or a toddler, your parents were merciful to you because you did not have the ability to do anything alone.
When they get old and become helpless, it should be your turn to pay back for all the favors they did to you by taking care of them and showing enough respect and gratitude.
You will be in their shoes someday.
Someday, you will get married and have your own kids, and it would be a disappointment if your kids did not show enough parental respect to you.
When you think this way, it will be easy for you to respect your parents.
They will give you life experience for free.
Someone giving advice to you or trying something yourself are the two ways to gain experience in life.
Your parents will always give you life experience; sometimes you will be convinced, but other times you will not, and as time passes, you will find out they were right for everything they told you.
For example, my parents advised me to not smoke, and I listened to them. After a year or two, I saw people get hurt or die from smoking.
So, listening to their advice, even if you do not like it, is much better than trying bad things and experiencing the consequences yourself, and that is another reason to respect your parents.
How should you respect your parents?
Literally, there are infinite ways to respect your parents, but today I will share my favorite tips with you:
Listen to them carefully.
Parents hate when their children do not pay attention to them when they speak, so listening carefully is a great way to show respect for them.
Follow the rules.
You should abide by the house rules set by your parents, like doing your assigned chores or cleaning your room, to show your good intentions to them.
Do not cross personal boundaries with them.
Some parents are overly friendly to their kids, and that could lead some kids to treat the parents equally like their friends, so don’t do that.
Remember that parents love to keep their authority figures, even if they are friendly with you.
Appreciate and praise their efforts.
Parents do things and sacrifice their time and comfort to make us happy, so a thank you from time to time or buying them a present as a gesture of gratitude will make them happy.
Keep your word.
When you promise your parents to do something, don’t disappoint them by not doing it.
Do not be disrespectful in disagreements.
It is okay to disagree with parents because we do not share the same interests or personalities, but when you both have a disagreement, do not raise your voice, shout, or insult them.
In this case, talk with them calmly and share your point of view with them.
Offer them to have quality time with each other.
If you are their oldest kids, then offer them some private time alone while you take care of your siblings and the house, because it is a great way to show your love and respect for them.
They don’t want to embarrass you, so don’t embarrass them.
Some parents love to accompany their kids on special occasions, and kids get nervous because their parents might embarrass them.
A parent only wants to make unforgettable and happy memories with kids to remember.
Benefits of having a good relationship with parents
If you truly respect your parents and work hard to do it, then your relationship with them will improve dramatically. The benefits will be:
- They will respond to your wishes more than ever.
- They will consider your opinions because they trust you.
- Your parents will work hard to solve your problems.
- You will feel more happy and satisfied.
How to respect your parents when they don't respect you?
This would be a great disappointment if your parents did not show enough respect, because in this case, you might be dealing with toxic parents. To deal with them effectively, do the following:
Act respecting
When your parents do not show you enough respect, act respectfully, even if you don’t respect them anymore.
Getting into several conflicts with them will affect your mental health badly, so ignore them as much as you can.
Make them feel in control.
Disrespecting and controlling parents will try to give you strict orders, and they will be furious if you don’t do them.
In this case, accepting the orders and pretending to do them is what matters because they only care about how you react to them.
Accept the situation.
Do not try to change your parents; instead, accept them as they are, because we cannot change people unless they change themselves.
Maybe they are having a bad day.
If your parents look stressed and exhausted, try not to provoke them, as they may react badly to you.
Wait for them to be cool, and then go and say what you want.
