Being Respectful: Why It Matters and How You Can Support Your Child
- A Marsden
- Jun 23
- 2 min read
One of the most important values we can help young people develop is respect — for themselves, for others, and for their community. At school, showing respect is about much more than just good manners. It’s about building positive relationships, creating a safe and welcoming environment, and helping every student feel they belong.
At Compass Education, we work with schools to promote respect as a foundation for success. Students who behave respectfully are more likely to enjoy school, stay out of trouble, and feel confident in themselves. But these values are first shaped at home.
What Does Being Respectful Mean?
For young people, being respectful involves:
✔ Listening to teachers, staff, and other students
✔ Speaking politely — even when frustrated
✔ Accepting differences and treating everyone fairly
✔ Taking care of school property and the wider community
✔ Taking responsibility for their own words and actions
Respect doesn’t mean agreeing with everything — but it does mean handling disagreement or frustration calmly and with maturity.
Why Respect is So Important
Respectful behaviour is the foundation of a positive school experience. It helps your child to:
✔ Build trust with teachers and staff
✔ Form positive friendships
✔ Avoid conflict or sanctions
✔ Develop self-respect and confidence
✔ Contribute to a safe, welcoming school environment
Young people who consistently show respect feel more included, connected, and proud of their behaviour — all of which supports their learning and wellbeing.
How You Can Encourage Respect at Home
You are your child’s most important role model when it comes to respect. What they see, hear, and experience at home shapes how they behave in school.
Here’s how to help your child build respectful habits:
✔ Talk about respect regularly. Discuss what it means to treat people with kindness and fairness — including those they don’t always get on with.
✔ Notice and praise respectful behaviour. Acknowledge when they show patience, good manners, or handle a disagreement calmly. Positive feedback builds positive habits.
✔ Set clear expectations. Be clear that disrespectful language, aggression, or damaging behaviour isn’t acceptable — at home or at school.
✔ Model respect in your own interactions. Whether it’s how you speak to them, your partner, or people in the community, your child is watching and learning.
✔ Encourage empathy. Talk about how their words and actions affect others. Questions like “How do you think they felt when that happened?” can help them see things from another perspective.
✔ Stay calm when correcting poor behaviour. Even when they push your buttons, responding with calm firmness shows them what respectful communication looks like.
Where to Find More Support
If your child is struggling with relationships, conflict, or disrespectful behaviour in school, their tutor or pastoral team can help.
Useful resources:
Respect is one of the most important life skills your child will ever learn — with your support, they can develop it every day, at school and beyond.
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