Family Teaching Guide · Ages 8–9
Respect
May · Word of the Month
May's word is RESPECT — valuing others' worth even when you don't agree with them, and treating yourself with that same care. Real respect can coexist with disagreement.
🙇 Respect and disagreement
You can respect someone without agreeing with them — respect is about how you treat a person, not whether you share their opinion. This is a hard, mature idea worth returning to often.
📖 Examples for this age
- ●Disagreeing with someone while still treating them kindly
- ●Earning someone's trust through consistent, small actions
- ●Truly appreciating someone, not just saying thank you out of habit
- ●Standing up for your own opinion respectfully in a group project
💬 Try asking your child
- ●Can you respect someone without agreeing with them? Give an example.
- ●Describe how someone earned your trust over time — what did they actually do?
- ●What does it mean to truly appreciate someone, not just say thank you?
💡 Try This At Home
When your child disagrees with a sibling or friend, coach the distinction directly: "You can think they're wrong AND still treat them with respect." That's a skill, not an instinct — it takes practice.
"Trust takes time to build but can be broken quickly." Ask your child why they think that's true.