Jill Rigby stated, “Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners” (Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World, page 11).
Rigby makes this observation about our society today: “When I was growing up, people weren’t perfect, but society was certainly more civil. The lines between right and wrong were clear. There was a sense of law and order. Teachers were teachers. So teachers taught. Parents were parents. So parents trained. Kids were kids. So kids obeyed. Respect for authority was paramount. Service to others and respect for property were natural elements of community. Teaching manners and instilling character were the cornerstones of public education. Parents looked at the right side of the report card (conduct) before they looked at the left (grades). Kids got in a lot of trouble if they were disrespectful to a teacher than if they made a B minus. Times past weren’t perfect, but they certainly had an attitude of respectfulness that’s now missing” (5).