Let's talk parents

Interesting question - I think that you should automatically respect your parents - however, they *can* do things that would cause you not to respect them.

Being outright disobedient should be out of the question, though IMO. Nothing good can possibly come of it.

 

automatic unless they're harming or degrading you. Sorry kid.

 

good. l might have said no at 15. But also l think of respect and obedience on kind of the same level, so now even though l think that a kid with a decent parent should obey them l don't necessarily think they should hold a deep respect for their parents as people if they have some negative qualities.

 

I treat all people with respect until they give me reason to act otherwise, my parents are no exception.

 

If they are decent parents making a reasonable attempt at raising their children the best way they know how, respect should be automatic. My parents don't fall into that category (my mother emotionally abused me and my sister for years, my father allowed it to happen) so my personal circumstances are a bit different but I think that being a parent has to be the hardest job in the world so some respect should be given generally.

 

I was going to say something along these lines. Everyone automatically has my respect, but they can lose it.

 

The way i see it everyone should earn respect. i spent my childhood trying to respect people who didn't deserve any respect and eventually it led me to do the opposite. I'm still polite, but i will not respect anyone who hasn't given me a reason to do so.

 

I think everyone, parents or otherwise, deserves to be treated respectfully. However, the respect shouldn't be unconditional.

 

I mean, it should be an automatic thing, but it's hard sometimes when you don't get any respect back. Like, when parents are constantly yelling at you for doing something wrong, and then they don't expect you to have anything to say back. I think there's some times where it becomes impossible to maintain that respect, but overall, it should be there for the majority of the time.

 

+1

 

I was raised to respect my elders, parents alike. I may not always see eye-to-eye with them...and trust me, as an early and mid teenager that was a daily occurrence. However, as I progressed into my late teens and currently, early 20s, I started to realize that my parents (in my case, my mother since my parents are divorced) actually understood quite a bit of what I was going through in most situations.

Understandably, I never had my first period... however, other situations such as: dealing with rejection, understanding why life can be unfair, accepting the consequences for bad actions, and realizing my fate in this world relies on me are just some of the lessons I was taught.

My mother and I have a great relationship and I value it deeply. I thank her for raising me with manners, even if that meant there were times when I was punished. At this point, many things that come second nature to me (holding the door open for others, saying "excuse me" when walking through a group of people or needing to get around someone, greeting strangers with 'sir' or 'ma'am') are often not used or even understood by a lot of customers I see at work. It kind of bothers me, but at the same time...it is what it is, you know? I'll never try to parent someone's child, but when the parents are my age, it makes me wonder who needs the life lessons more...

 

I guess I'm a little different in this than other people. Everyone has to earn my respect, no one just has it. I would never be rude or mean to people for no reason, and I get along with virtually everyone, don't get me wrong, but respect is something you have to earn. Now by the time you actually know what the word respect means, the average parent will have already earned it big time

 

Well said sir.

 

I'm encouraged by the responses here, most of the posts are by people no older than mid 20s. They seem to reflect a positive growing experience. I'm happy for you. There are far too many kids growing up without the blessing of a good home where they can feel sheltered, protected and loved.
As for myself, my parents demonstrated unconditional love and caring to my younger sister and me. I have nothing but the utmost love, respect and happy memories of them both.

 

As other people have said, I think all people should be respected and assumed good until one has good reason to retract that respect. I also think one should still treat people respectfully even if one has no respect for that person; nothing, or few things, excuse rudeness, though many things explain it.

 

I could not agree with this more. Sums me up perfectly.

I can also respect people for different aspects of their lives or personalities, but not them as an individual. For example, my father is incredibly talented and has built an amazing career for himself, starting from absolutely nothing. And I respect him immensely for that. But the fact that he was physically, verbally and emotionally abusive to me throughout my childhood means that I can not respect him as a whole human being.

 

Hehe l feel like l gave the wrong impression lol.

My homelife was actually disastrous. drug problems in my family growing up but beyond all that l still have to say that amazingly my mother wasn't an abusive type. Then l was very disrespectful, though.

So even then l certainly didn't respect her as a person and sometimes still don't, l at least now try to do the mother-daughter thing to the necessary extent and l think most teens should zip it until they move out lol.

 

As well.