Respect starts at home

As parents we have an incredible power to shape positively children's attitudes and behaviours, including how they treat others.

Here are three ideas and attitude of respect at home:

1. Start by insisting that siblings treat each other well. Encourage both genders to resolve conflict and disputes using low power methods such as talking things through; give and take and apologising.
2. Socialise your sons. It's easy to excuse boy's aggressive behaviour as part of being a boy. Yes, their physiology may mean they are more prone to handle disputes physically but that doesn't mean we accept that. Model for your sons how to resolve disputes in a civil and civilised way.
3. Put respect on the agenda. Healthy families talk about the things that matter to them. If respect matters then you need to hold conversations around disrespectful behaviours – whether they occur in the family outside. Be willing to listen to children's and young people's views but also to challenge views that are questionable.

Respect is the core value of a civil society; and that's also the core value in every healthy, functioning family I've ever worked with.