Gift from Parents - Respect

The greatest gift that parents can give their child is Love, which they express in countless ways: a fond facial expession, spontaneous demostrations of physical affection like a hug, pleasure in their children's accomplishments, comforting them when they are hurt, controlling them to keep them safe and to help them become responsible people.

It is from this lovingness towards parents that children go on to form all their positive relations in life - friends, teachers, spouses, offsprings, neighbours, and fellow workers. It is important the way children see us behave in adult relationships as partners. If a child sees his mother being beaten all the time by her husband, or sees his mother sacrificing all her pleasures for his or his father's benefit, his future partner may have tough time with him; and as a consequence, so will he.

Children gain trust in themselves from being respected - as human beings - by their parents. This self -assurance helps them to be comfortable with themselves and with all kinds of people, for rest of their life. Respect from parents is what teaches children to give respect to their parents in turn.

In fact, its a choice parents need to make because the demarcation is clear - life before the baby and life after the baby. Parents should rethink and re-shape their lives to make it a safer place for the child's pysche. There are times when we as parents do behave irrationally, irritably, and are not kind, lenient or forgiving. But all parents must take responsibilty for the kind of adults our children will grow up to be.