Children need to Earn Respect...It's not Free.

Some children today have no respect for authority. They have been given what they want, when they want it and have no fear of repercussion if it is taken away.

With the threat of child welfare officials showing up on the doorstep, many parents do not really know how to discipline their offspring when their child does something wrong.

When teachers threaten to call home, some kids laugh. They know parents have limitations when it comes to punishment; disrespect toward adults in authority spreads from parents to teachers to law enforcement.

Children need to know if they want something they have to earn it. They cannot be handed everything they point at. I would rather have respect from consequences of their actions than have them disrespect others later.

Some say respect is earned. Well if that is the case, parents earn respect every single day by meeting their childrens' needs such as food, clothing, and shelter…and most importantly love.

Rewards for good behavior or getting good grades are needed, but when bad behavior is not dealt with, children begin to believe their actions were not wrong.

Giving your children everything they want teaches them how to use people, not how to earn respect.

Teachers earn respect from their students by spending their time educating. My kids know if a teacher calls me it better be good news or they are in trouble.

Needless to say, the calls I receive from schools have usually been good news…or my would receive a smack on the butt and a few chores. They know I am not the parent afraid to discipline for bad behavior at home or school.

They also know my respect for them grows each and every day they do the growing up they need to do to become successful in their lives.