Lulu39

I was addressing your generalisation regarding children and respect and your point that children do not stay 5 forever. I addressed your generalisation by using the example of my children, my life and my experience. I did not refer to your children or your experience. It seems you have inferred something I never implied.

In my experience my children (and many other children I know) show respect to everyone whether it's a drunk on the street drinking paint stripper from a paper bag or their own drunken father stumbling around and spouting garbage. Sometimes, when I overhear them having to listen to a drunken lecture from their father on the phone, I wish they would tell their father to STFU! They never have... I wonder if they ever will?

At least, in my eyes, my children have learned not to have any expectations of their father or from anyone on their father's side of the family. They have learned that paternal grandma will promise them the world for their birthday or Xmas and then deliver nothing. They have learned that Daddy will promise them a watch for their birthday, Xmas and then deliver nothing. They have learned that Daddy will promise to take them to the pool or the movies and then deliver nothing. Yet, they are still respectful to all these people who let them down. It infuriates me! My natural codie response is to want to yell and scream and throw bricks at the people who let my children down and lie to my children. I don't, but I want to.

They are able to talk about their disappointment when these people let them down, my youngest has even stated that paternal "grandma is a liar". However, if that woman were to deign to phone her grandchildren they would be polite and respectful.

I do believe their martial arts training and the mostly male SOBER role models they train with has something to do with the respect they display. They belong to a healthy community which supports them and explicitly teaches them respect, humility and manners. I'm really grateful for that.