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Shopping for school supplies has always been a huge event in our home. Our daughter is

preparing for high school, but this autumn she will still carefully select the right pens and pencils,

colorful notebooks and all of the accessories needed to make her locker perfect. Our son is

getting ready for middle school, and for him it’s much simpler. Get what’s on the list and be ready

for a great first day of school.  

Regardless of your routine or the schools recommended lists, as a parent there are a few back-

to-school supplies of my own I hope to send with my children as they prepare for another school

year. Those include large doses of respect and commitment.  

Sadly it seems fewer and fewer children today understand the importance of respect. The primary

goal in our home is to teach our children to respect their own bodies as well as their reputation. A

second objective is to teach respect for others: teachers; administrators; classmates.  

Offering respect is important, but expecting it in return is a vital life skill. Each school year is

chock full of shocking stories of disrespect, not only aimed toward my children but toward many

others. It is tempting to just write it off as a sign of the times. But just shrugging my shoulders is

the easy way out, as a parent the goal is not to raise children by seeking the easy way out.  

Children should be taught to expect to be respected and to demand it from others when necessary.

Should someone say something inappropriate, a child must learn to take action! Use firm words

if that is an option, if not, tell a teacher or parent and do what it takes to stop the behavior.

These two expectations are really not so much about changing the disrespectful person as it is

about empowering your own child. Children, yours and mine, need to believe themselves worthy

to expect to be respected.  

Along with respect, I hope to send them off with commitment. We’ve all heard the proverbial “I

walked to school three miles in the snow” stories. OK, they’re probably all exaggerations. But

there is much to be said for old-fashioned commitment along with an understanding of

priorities of exactly to what they should be committed.  

Topping any list of priorities is a deep commitment to family and friends. If we are not careful, text

messages in a sound bite world can slowly erode the depth that is natural in close relationships.

This may rob others of the feeling of significance. The ability to foster close and meaningful relationships

is a skill that must be taught and demonstrated over time, regardless of trends in technology.    

All children, God willing, will become adults one day. The skills we prioritize today are likely to

follow them and pave the way for their priorities as they mature. Kids who are disrespectful are

sadly a dime a dozen, however, those who demand respect for themselves demonstrate an inner

strength and self confidence that is far too uncommon. At the same time, those who value others

in a relationship learn the skill of articulation and effective communication, and such skills become

tools to build upon when seeking success and happiness as adults.  

As you prepare your children for the first day of school, consider their list of school supplies and

make sure as a parent, you add a few of your own.