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It's been observed that virtues like kindness and respect are often better caught than taught and you can encourage your kids to use kind words and respect others, but the truth is, when you model those qualities, it really sets a tone

and serves up a lesson.

I'm John Fuller joined by Danny Werta, who leads our parenting and youth department here at Focus on the

family and Danny it is so humbling to have to take a step back or get to take a step

back depending on the circumstances and ask am I living out what I'm talking about?

Am I walking my talk with my kids?

That's a really hard sometimes but useful exercise.

It is. Some of those things come out in counseling conversations and in my own life I've noticed

moments when I haven't been the most respectful when I get off a phone call with somebody or I'm avoiding a

certain phone call and well what am I communicating to my kids in that we we have

to look inward and be self-aware of what's happening inside of us and now that's coming out.

That's where respect begins.

How do I show my level of focus and my level of love for other people, people that are unlovable, the stranger,

when I'm driving, how am I modeling the respect for other people's space and the fact that

they have places to go as well.

There are many places, many opportunities for us to show and model respect and

the fact that we are wanting to live out what God has called us to do and we're not always

going to be the most loving people and that's okay. Have those conversations with your kids

and have an openness to get some constructive feedback to you.

Those are life-giving words back to you when you're not being respectful.

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