Family Teaching Guide · Ages 10–12
Respect
May · Word of the Month
This month's word is RESPECT — recognizing someone's worth as a person, independent of whether you agree with them or even like them. Respect that only extends to people you agree with isn't really respect.
🙇 Respect vs. agreement
It's easy to respect people who think like you. The real test is whether you can respect someone you disagree with — hearing them out, treating them fairly, without needing them to change your mind or you to change theirs.
🧠 Why this matters at this age
Preteens are forming stronger opinions and encountering more disagreement — with parents, friends, and peers. This is the age respect either hardens into "only people who agree with me" or matures into something that holds even through real conflict.
💬 Try asking your child
- ●Can you respect someone you disagree with? What does that respect actually look like in practice?
- ●Has trust ever been broken in one of your relationships — what did rebuilding (or not) look like?
- ●Is respect automatic, or something people have to earn? Defend your answer.
💡 Try This At Home
When your child is frustrated with someone, resist the urge to validate or dismiss immediately. Ask, "What would respecting them look like here, even if you still disagree?" It's a genuinely hard question — sit with it together.
"Trust takes time to build but can be broken quickly." Ask your child to apply that to a relationship in their own life.