I am devasted by the news of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire which occurred on Monday evening (15/04/19) and I cannot begin to think of how the people of Paris must be feeling right now. Our Lady of Paris is a beautiful piece of history, over 850-years-old. It has survived World War One, World War Two and The French Revolution. It brings not only beauty to the city of love, but also radiates faith and love as well as being filled with many incredible ancient artefacts.
Category: Random
The Top Seven Tag
Hey everyone! I have not done Tag posts since remodelling the blog, so I was very happy to have been tagged in this Top Seven Tag by the lovely Carly from CarlyBloggs.co.uk!
For this tag, I am required to share my top seven blog posts from 2018 as well as sharing seven things that I loved about 2018 and seven things that I am looking forward to in 2019.
So let’s get started!
My Top Seven Blog Posts of 2018:
So rather than posting seven of my most popular posts from 2018, I want to share seven of my personal favourites! Ones that I enjoyed writing and researching for.
Number One: The Story Behind Jack O’Lanterns
I love a good myth/legend so it was fun to research the story behind carving pumpkins! It was quite interesting and I just had to share it, along with pictures of my very first pumpkin carving! You can read this short article by clicking on the image below!
Number Two: Those Cold Dark Mornings
This one is still very relevant! Winter is cold, dark and all round dull and it can make getting up in the mornings rather difficult. I wrote this as part of my Blogtober posts last year, though January Blues are in full swing so it definitely deserves to be on this list and shared again for those who may have missed it the first time around. This post includes tips and tricks on how to get yourself up in the morning, feeling a bit more awake and refreshed. You can read it by clicking on the image below:
Number Three: My Letter to Santa
This one was one of my favourite ‘Blogmas’ posts from 2018. I saw a lot of parents sharing their children’s letters to Santa and I also saw a few negative posts talking about what age children should be told that Santa is not real… which led me to write this post. A lot of people enjoyed reading this and it was shared much more than my other Blogmas posts, which surprised me to some extent! You can find it by clicking on the image below:
Number Four: Children and Mental Health
This is an important and serious post which I will share as much as I can. People often dismiss certain behaviours in children as being ‘typical child-like behaviour’, or ‘stroppy teenagers’ or ‘just a phase’, when it could be much more serious than that. It is important for people to remember that children and young people can experience mental health conditions too. It is important that they look out for any signs of mental health problems and that they talk openly with children about their mental wellbeing and educate them about mental health, letting them know that it is okay for them to talk about their feelings and letting them know that there will always be someone there to listen to them and support them. You can read more about child mental health by clicking on the image below:
Number Five: Our Trip to Chester Zoo
This is a personal post about one of my favourite days out of 2018. I do not tend to write personal posts very often (one of my blog-based goals for 2019 is to write more of them!) I thoroughly enjoyed writing about our day out at the zoo and sharing some of the pictures that we took on the day. If you ever get the chance to visit this incredible place, please do! It has been one of my favourite places to visit since I was just a little girl and It will always be a place that I hold dear to my heart. You can read all about it by clicking on the image below:
Number Six: What I Would Do If I Won The Lottery
This was a fun and quirky post for Blogtober last year. I really enjoyed sharing this with people as I felt it gave them a little bit of an insight to my personality. I seen a few other bloggers write this post and I was actually tagged by a friend of mine as they wanted me to take part! Writing this post really made me wish that I had more money… we can all dream and be imaginative from time to time. You can find this post by clicking the image below, and if you enjoy reading this, I would love for you to share what you would do if you were to win the lottery, so do not hesitate to leave a comment or share your own blog post!
Number Seven: CoppaFeel!
This is a short post about an incredible charity who aim to raise awareness of breast cancer. They want to spread the word and teach people how to check their boobs on a regular basis as well as sending them monthly reminders and encouraging people to have routine breast screenings (if they are of the recommended age). They deserve more credit than what they get, so please click the image below and give this article a read, and if you are able to support them in some way or another, please do!
Seven Things I Loved About 2018!
- My beautiful little cousin Rosie was born! She was so tiny and sweet… and now she is walking around being cheeky and mischievous!
- I turned 22 and had a great night out with friends! Jacob bought me a beautiful necklace with our initials and the date that we met engraved on it… I have never taken it off since!
- I graduated from University, despite having a rubbish start to the year. Graduation Day was amazing and a day that I will never forget. I received such lovely gifts from friends and family and celebrated in style with a lovely family meal followed by drinks with the fiance and a few of our friends.
- I fed and held baby lambs at one of our local farms! I do not think I have ever been so happy.
- We had amazing weather all summer (which has not happened in a very long time!) We had various days out and lots of family fun in the sun. One of my favourite days out was to Lancaster with Jacob. We went to various different places in Lancaster, seen some animals, visited a beautiful castle and so much more… although I did get sunburnt that day!
- We had an amazing family holiday with my mum, dad, little brother, grandma and aunties! We spent two weeks in Turkey, with incredible weather, a stunning hotel, lots of waterslides and endless shopping!
- Me and Jacob went pumpkin picking… something that I have never done before! We spent so long walking around the pumpkin patch to find the perfect little pumpkin to take home and carve! I really enjoyed it and I am already looking forward to doing it again this year.
Seven Things I Am Looking Forward To This Year!
- Making new memories, taking more Polaroid pictures to add to my scrapbook throughout the year.
- My 23rd Birthday! – I am finally getting a new phone as I broke my one on Christmas Eve by dropping it down the toilet in a bar 🙈 I am also getting a Leeds Festival day ticket so that we can go and see Post Malone!
- Going to Greece with Jacobs family in June! I have always wanted to go to Greece, so I am super excited about this. I can’t wait to take lots of beautiful pictures of the scenery there and exploring a new place!
- Jacobs Birthday at the start of August! I have no idea what we are doing for it, but I always love spoiling him.
- Reading more books! As you may know, me and my friend Molly started a book club for SeeTheUniverse this year, so I am excited to challenge myself to read at least one book per month this year.
- The possibility of applying for university or college (again) to try and get my Qualified Teacher Status.
- Hopefully restarting my driving lessons and passing my driving test by the end of the year!
Seven Amazing Bloggers That You Should Check Out:
I would also like to officially Tag these wonderful bloggers to take part in this Top Seven Tag post
Rachel – BurtsBowl.com
Fern – MumConventional.co.uk
Judith – unicornsandotheranimals.home.blog
Estelle – Estellosaurus.co.uk
Stacey – SimplyStacey.co.uk
Matt – TheCreativityStorm.wordpress.com
Stewart – StewartBintAuthor.weebly.com
TruNinja
So last weekend, me, Jacob, my dad and my little brother all went to TruNinja in Warrington with my little brother’s football team for an hour of expressing our secret ninja-like skills!
It is safe to say, the kids definitely showed us, adults, how it is done… don’t think I have ever felt so old! But we did have a good laugh in the process, so all is well and good.
The hour was spent running around and attempting fun and challenging obstacles allowing us to show our competitive sides as well as building on team skills and helping each other through the obstacles! There were plenty of encouraging words being shouted to one another as well as lots of laughs!
One part, in particular, seemed to be quite popular! The obstacle was a slanted wall which we had to run up and pull ourselves onto the ledge at the top, before walking across the platform and jumping off onto a large, soft inflatable at the bottom! The kids were queueing for this one, so I decided to give it a go…
Now looking at the pictures, the platform does not seem to be that high… but I assure you, once you are up there it feels much higher! I decided to be brave and let myself fall backwards from the ledge… my heart was in my mouth and I think I left my stomach at the top somewhere! It gave me such a strange feeling, but at the same time, it was also quite thrilling! Before I knew it, all the kids were dropping backwards from the ledge and their faces, when they landed at the bottom, was a picture!
The place itself was not that big, but there was plenty of fun to be had there. Great for children’s parties or fun days out during the school holidays! The kids were much quieter on the bus coming home than they were on the way there that is for sure.
For one hour in the Ninja Arena, it will cost you £9.00 per person.
For the adults who do not feel like taking part, there is a nice little cafe upstairs where you can purchase food and drinks! There was not a huge choice for food, but the kids had pizzas which were delicious and Jake had some noodles which were tasty, although the portion size was a little lacking.
TruNinja currently has two locations, Warrington and Stoke, however, they are opening two more venues in Wigan and Bristol in the near future!
This was definitely something different for us and I would consider doing this again in the future!
In the middle of all of the fun and games, the biggest kid of them all (my dad) managed to break his foot… He was about to attempt the run-up wall when his foot gave in on him and went on its side, resulting in a nasty break! I highly doubt the football team mums, dads and of course the kids, are going to let this down any time soon! There was plenty of banter at his expense on the way home.
So that was what my Saturday afternoon consisted of! How was your weekend?
Diabetes Awareness Day
More than 4 million people in the UK alone live with diabetes. There are two main types (which we will touch upon today), but there are also rarer forms of the condition. Diabetes is a life-long condition but with the right form of treatment and care, those affected can still lead a happy and healthy life.
What Are The Two Main Types of Diabetes?
Type 1 – This is when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes are insulin dependent, this means that they will have to take insulin injections every day for the rest of their life. This type of diabetes can develop quickly, in the matter of weeks or even days in some cases.
Type 2 – This is when the body does not produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not react to the insulin in the way that they are supposed to. This type of diabetes is often related to being overweight and can be controlled via lifestyle changes and tablets may be prescribed. Type 2 can go undetected for many years.
90% of people with diabetes are diagnosed with type 2, making this the most common type. Both conditions are serious and can lead to various complications.
Symptoms of Diabetes:
- Feeling very thirsty
- Having to urinate more frequently (especially of a night time)
- Feeling very tired
- Weight loss or loss of muscle bulk
- Itching in intimate areas, or frequent episodes of thrush
- Cuts or wounds healing very slowly
- Blurred vision
Some Basics:
Insulin is created within the pancreas and allows glucose (sugar) in our blood to enter our cells and fuel our body, giving us energy. When there is sugar in our bloodstream, the pancreas senses this and produces the right amount of insulin so that the glucose can enter our cells. However, for people with diabetes, this system does not work. Either their immune system is attacking and destroying the cells which produce insulin, therefore stopping the glucose from leaving the bloodstream (type 1) or the body is not producing enough insulin in the first place, or the cells are not reacting to the insulin (type 2).
Over a long period of time, high glucose levels in your blood can lead to serious complications:
Complications of Diabetes:
Every week, more than 160 amputations occur, 680 people have a stroke, 530 have a heart attack and there are almost 2000 cases of heart failure… all as a result of diabetes.
Diabetics may experience Hypo’s and/or Hypers depending on their blood sugar levels.
A Hypo (Hypoglycaemia) is when the individual’s blood sugar levels are too low (usually below 4mmol/l). This could be due to the balance of medication, food, and physical activity not being right. Hypos can happen quickly so it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms:
- May experience trembling and feeling shakey
- May experience sweating
- Feeling anxious and/or irritable
- Going pale
- Having palpitations and a fast pulse
- Tingling sensation in lips
- Blurred sight
- Feeling hungry
- Being tearful
- Tiredness
- Headaches
- Lack of concentration
It helps if you take regular blood sugar tests so that you are able to spot a Hypo before experiencing any symptoms.
A hypo may occur if you skip meals, if you do not have enough carbohydrates, if you exercise too much without adjusting your insulin intake (if you take it), If you were to take more insulin than needed or if you drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
If you feel as though you are experiencing a Hypo, it can help to have a sugary drink or snack to help boost your sugar levels back up to a more acceptable figure.
A Hyper (Hyperglycaemia) is when your blood sugar levels go too high (above 7mmol/l before food or 8.5mmol/l 2 hours after food). This could lead to symptoms such as:
- Passing more urine than usual
- Feeling very thirsty
- Headaches
- Feeling tired and lethargic
This could occur if the individual misses a dose of their medication, has eaten more carbohydrates than their body and medication can handle, they have been unwell due to infection, they have been feeling stressed or if they have over-treated a Hypo.
If regular Hypos or Hypers occur, you should speak to a GP or you Diabetic health team in order to review your medication and/or lifestyle plan.
It can help to drink plenty of sugar-free drinks or taking a little bit more insulin if necessary.
Other complications of diabetes include:
- Eye problems
- Foot problems
- Kidney problems
- Nerve damage
- Heart attack/stroke
- Gum disease
- Related conditions (such as cancer)
- Sexual problems
There are regular check-ups that you will be entitled to as a diabetic, it is important that you go to all of your appointments and make extra ones if you feel as though there is an issue to be concerned about.
You should have at least 1 checkup in each of these areas per year:
- Blood sugar testing (HBAC1 test)
- Blood pressure check
- Cholesterol checks
- Eye screenings
- Foot and leg checks
- Kidney checks
Please make sure you are honest in these appointments and voice any concerns that you might have.
Attending regular checkups, taking your blood on a daily basis from home, ensuring you are taking all medications correctly and responsibly and having any issues checked out as soon as possible will all help to reduce the risk of experiencing any of the complications mentioned above. They may not always be preventable, but you can lower your chances of developing these issues or slow their development down if you look after yourself properly and manage your condition responsibly.
Sources:
Bonfire Night Safety!
Bonfire night can be fun for all the family, but it is important to be extra careful and take the necessary precautions whilst out and about this evening!
First of all, if you have young children, keep them close to you at all times! This should go without saying, but I have heard so many horrific stories about young ones getting hurt on bonfire night, either by a firework, by sparklers or by the bonfire itself. It simply is not worth risking your child’s safety for the sake of avoiding a tantrum… so keep them with you even if they protest against it! You should also teach them the basic rules:
Do not go to a firework that has failed to go off as it may still ignite and it could go off!
Wear gloves when using sparklers, keep them at arms length and away from faces! All children should be supervised by an adult whilst using sparklers.
Go to organised bonfire displays rather than local neighbourhood ones as they are safer, especially when taking children.
Always keep a safe distance from the bonfire and from the fireworks!
Pets… keep pets indoors or on a leash if you are heading out this evening! Your pets may be used to going out off their lead but it is not worth risking their safety! They are family and you wouldn’t want anything to happen to them so keep them safe!
If your pets are scared of the fireworks, try soothing them, cuddles do the trick! If you’re not home with them leave the radio or tv on to try and drown out the sound of the fireworks. You can also buy specialised jackets for them which help to soothe their anxiety or you can wrap an old scarf around them like on the picture below!
Whatever you do tonight, make sure you are sensible and responsible, and of course, have fun!
What I Would Do If I Won The Lottery!
We are all guilty of fantasizing about winning the lottery (even those of us who do not buy tickets… like me!)
I was tagged by the lovely Lauren, who recently shared what she would spend her imaginary multi-millions on, as she would like to know what I would do with that kind of money! Well, I can safely say that I know exactly what I would do if I were to win a life-changing amount of money…
First, I would find and buy my own home! I love the look of a converted barn or cottage, so I would try to find one that would be perfect for me… one that is not too big, but big enough for a family! I would want my home to have a large garden so that I can plant pretty flowers and so that my mass amount of dogs (we will get to that later!) can have room to run around and have fun. In my garden, I would like a cosy shed or out-house, which I would do up as a cute little reading room, with a super comfy armchair, fairy lights, a small desk and a bookshelf inside. This would be my own little escape, a place where I can go to relax and just breathe!
I would decorate my home in quite a modern fashion, with lots of open spaces and
cosy decor. I would make sure to have a large office room with two desks, so that both me and Jacob have a place to do whatever it is that we like to do (blog writing for me, game playing or coding for Jacob!) This would have lots of storage space and cute features such as fleece blankets, a coffee machine, mini-fridge and calming lights, so that we can feel calm and happy while we work.
On to buying animals… I feel the majority of my winnings would end up going in this area…
I have always wanted a French Bulldog, but with such a large amount of money, it would be silly to stop at one right? I would have two or three beautiful Frenchies and make sure that they had absolutely everything that they could ever need! They would be super spoilt and loved. I would also love to have a leopard print gecko called dotty! Geckos are so cute and sweet, I recently held one for the first time at our local farm and fell in love with her! I cannot wait to own one.
Both me and Jacob have talked about buying a hedgehog, so I am sure this would also be a must if we were to win the lottery!
I would pay for a fast track driving course and pass my driving test and buy myself a nice car that would be suitable for when we start a family. I would also buy Jacob a car of his choice (it is only fair isn’t it?)
One of the more extravagant things that I would buy is an apartment or villa in Italy… either in Venice or Rome. Me and Jake went to Rome for our very first holiday together and we absolutely fell in love with the place! We have vowed to go back and have often talked about having a holiday home in Italy if we can ever afford to do so.
There are many places that I would love to visit, so I feel travelling would definitely take up a lot of the money! I would definitely want to visit Disney World Florida (cliche I know!), I would also love to go to Thailand for a long holiday (4 weeks to be precise.) I could give you a full list of places I would like to visit but we would be here all night… so it would probably be best if I just booked a round world trip!
I would throw out all of my clothes and buy clothes that I actually want to wear! I swear I have a much better sense of fashion but not enough money to show it off, so this would be the best opportunity for me to change my wardrobe.
So far I sound super selfish… but I would definitely make sure that my close family and friends get a fair share of my winnings! I would give my mum and dad enough money to move house and decorate their new home to their liking, I would give my dad enough money to buy himself whatever car he desires (probably a Jag or a Ferrari of some sort), I would put enough money away for my little brother to make sure he could buy his own home when he is old enough to do so, and I would buy him the latest technology goods as he is obsessed with anything technical! I would give my best friend enough money to put down a deposit on a nice house for herself and I would be taking her to Disney World with me because let’s face it, going to Disney World without my bestie would just be plain wrong!
I would quit my job and do more voluntary work, as well as focusing on my blog! I would love to open up my own animal shelter, rescuing animals in need and taking in animals whose owners can no longer look after them. I would also buy a large block of flats and do them up nicely before renting them out for cheap so that people can actually afford them! There are so many people who end up on the streets due to the costs of everyday living being so high, so I feel this would help people step onto the property ladder and be able to live their lives without worrying so much about the bills and costs of everything.
I did originally consider buying a block of flats to open up to the homeless, and making sure to have police officers patrolling the flats to ensure peoples safety… but eventually, paying for the bills of each flat on my own would become impossible. So I thought that renting them out for a cheap cost would be more efficient…
So that is what I would buy if I were to win the lottery! What would you do with such a large sum of money? Let me know in the comments below… or share your own blog post telling us all about it!
Thank you, Lauren, for the tag!
You can follow the beautiful Lauren on the following links:
Twitter: @LaurenAmyBlogs
Blog: www.LaurenAmyBlogs.Blogspot.com
CoppaFeel!
This incredible charity deserves so much more credit than what they receive. They do amazing work in order to raise awareness for breast cancer, reminding people to check their boobs at least once a month and helping them to know what they need to look out for. The charity talks about the seriousness of breast cancer, but in a light-hearted way, encouraging young people to get to know their bodies in the hope that all breast cancers can be diagnosed and treated at the earliest possible stage.
I was introduced to this wonderful charity via my doctor’s surgery when a nurse encouraged me to sign up to CoppaFeel’s monthly text messaging service…
CoppaFeel send out monthly text messages to remind people to check their boobs, but in a fun kind of way! I often forget that I am signed up to this service, so when I receive my monthly reminder it makes me smile/giggle as well as reminding me to do something that is very important… checking my boobs!
Here are some of my most recent reminders:
‘STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING! Checking your boobs could save your life. And it is proper fun. Got it? START WHAT YOU WERE DOING AGAIN.’
‘DON’T CHECK YOUR BOOBS. DON’T DO IT. NO, REALLY – DON’T DO IT.
– A lesson in reverse psychology from CoppaFeel.
‘Keys? CHECK.
Phone? CHECK.
Boobs? CHECK.
Knowing your boobs could save your life, so get to it!’
As you can see, these reminders are quirky yet at the same time, life-saving! If you would like to sign-up to their monthly text messaging service, you can do so here! (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO!) – You can also sign-up for regular emails if you prefer!
CoppaFeel runs various campaigns including #RethinkCancer, which raises awareness for all types of cancer and building up people’s knowledge as well as encouraging them to lead healthy lives.
This incredible charity relies on donations so that they can continue with their amazing work, going to schools, places of work and attending other events as well as enabling them to continue sending their monthly text messages (a £5 donation enables CoppaFeel to send 100 text messages, which could potentially save lives!)
There are many ways in which you can raise money and awareness for CoppaFeel! Take a look at their fundraising page here to find out more.
You may decide to purchase something from their online store as a way of donating! Check out their amazing items here!
Whatever you decide, just make sure to check your boobs regularly!
Blurt Foundation’s Intu Events!
I am super excited to be lending a helping hand to the incredible Blurt Alert Foundation tonight at Manchester Trafford Centre! Blurt Alert Foundation are an incredible mental health charity who work hard to offer help, support and guidance to those who are suffering from various mental health conditions. They run a fabulous, informative blog (which you can find here!), they hosting amazing Twitter Chats on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, they have lots of useful resources for people who are struggling, and they also have an incredible monthly subscription box called ‘The Buddy Box’, which you can purchase as a one-off, or on a monthly basis! You can also choose from their normal-sized Buddy Boxes (£21.50) or their Lite Buddy Boxes (£12.00)! You can find out more here!
At The Trafford Centre tonight, we will have a lovely little set-up outside of Boots, where people can come for a nice chat with a member of the team, get to know what Blurt does, open up about mental health and find out what resources are available to you! We will be there between 4 pm and 10 pm so do feel free to come and say hello and have a chat with us about absolutely anything you like! The environment will be relaxed and calm, you will be made to feel super welcome and you can stay and chat for as long as you like! On top of offering our company, we will also be running giveaways and competitions as well as other fun activities for you to take part in! So please do not be shy, come to The Trafford Centre, enjoy the student event and grab yourself some bargains, and come and say hello to me, the other wonderful volunteers and of course The Blurt Alert team.
After the Event!
I cannot explain how much I enjoyed volunteering for Blurt tonight! As I was making my way to the event, I was so nervous about talking with people about mental health face-to-face, as I am so used to doing it from behind my computer screen…However as soon as I arrived, I was greeted by Nick, a fundraiser for Blurt, and another volunteer called Rachael. Nick was super friendly and welcoming and I and Rachael were soon chatting away about how we came across Blurt and what made us want to volunteer; before I knew it, we were non-stop talking and it soon felt as though we had known each other for a long time!
We handed out self-care goal cards to shoppers as well as asking multiple different stores if they would put some on their counters, I was able to bring some home with me which I am hoping to include with my bracelet orders as well as using them myself!
Many different people came over to our little area to chat with us about mental health and to get to know more about the amazing work that Blurt Foundation does!
Some people would come for a brief chat before taking a leaflet, entering our competition and leaving again, 
whereas others stayed to talk to us for quite some time! One young lady, Lauren, came over to chat with us about mental health, she recognised Blurt as she receives their monthly BuddyBoxes! After introducing ourselves and breaking the ice, Lauren began opening up to me and Nick about her struggles with mental health. I found myself sharing my own struggles with them too. This was a very heartwarming conversation as we discussed some of our lowest times, and compared them to where we are today! Lauren also told us about an incredible mental health society within her university that she is part of, they host various activities and events such as art therapy and poetry nights as well as giving out free care packages to students around exam times! I thought this was an absolutely brilliant idea that more universities should take up!
I really loved communicating with people about mental health face-to-face as it is completely different from talking to people online. For me, this event made me realise that mental health social work is definitely what I want to do. I have known for quite some time that I want to be a social worker, but have been stuck between wanting to work with children and families, or going down the mental health route.
I am currently in the process of applying for the incredible Think Ahead; a mental health social work training program! I am really hoping that this works out and that in July next year I can begin on my journey into social work.
This would be my absolute dream job. I have completed my three years at university, run my mental health blog for 18 months, recently passed my mental health awareness course and I am ready to move forward!
I do have backup plans if this does not go well for me, but I am hoping and praying that I will not have to turn to these!
I really enjoy working with a variety of people and listening to their experiences, I love being that person who they feel they can trust and rely on and I love knowing that I can make a difference to their lives… and that is what I want to do for the rest of my days.
Respect
What does it mean to have respect for someone or something? Is it important to have respect? Is it a quality that we should all possess? What happens if you do not have respect? Should children be taught about respect, or is it something which naturally forms? These are all valid questions to ask… let’s have a look at respect in a little more detail.
Respect comes from the Latin word ‘respectus’, meaning attention, regard or consideration.
It is important to respect others, consider their feelings and their wellbeing and how they may be affected by your words and/or actions.
Respect includes how you feel about someone and how you choose to treat them. Respecting someone means that you think of them in a positive way and might even look up to them in some sense.
You should not only have respect for others around you, but also for yourself.
Being respectful towards others, being respected by others and also respecting yourself can increase our self-esteem as well as having beneficial effects on our mental health and well-being. There are different ways of showing respect: through basic manners, following the rules set by parents and teachers as well as dressing and acting accordingly.
Without showing respect to others, there is a higher chance of relationships and friendships deteriorating, meaning they may be filled with conflict and dissatisfaction. Having a lack of respect can also make it hard to form new relationships and can impact on your chances of getting a job or doing well within the workplace.
Is Respect Earned or Deserved?
You may have heard the saying ‘respect your elders’… but does that mean that all elderly people, despite how they treat you or act, deserve to be respected?
For example: Being given a managerial role for a business or company, does not immediately entitle you to the respect of all of your colleagues. You need to treat your colleagues fairly and with consistency as well as offering them some degree of freedom before they grow to respect you. If you treat them unfairly or look down on them due to your status in the workplace, they will not respect you and they will not work to their full potential for you.
This is the case for everyone. If you treat your friends, family and loved ones with kindness and are always fair and caring for their needs, they will respect you and should show you the same level of kindness in return.
Should Children Be Taught Respect?
Respect stems from having manners and knowing right from wrong… these are things that should be taught to children. Children should be encouraged to use their manners; saying please, thank you, your welcome and sorry when needed. They should be taught to follow rules that are set by their parents and teachers and understand why they need to follow them… for their own safety, to show that they care about their parents and teachers decisions and their feelings regarding the situation that the rules are about.
Children who are well disciplined often grow up to be respectful, polite individuals. To discipline your child does not mean that you have to scream and shout at them when they do wrong and it certainly does not mean that you should smack them when they are considered ‘naughty’.
If a child misbehaves, you should sit them down, tell them how their behaviours have made you feel and why they should not act in such a way again. This may not always be effective, but it is a very good tactic to try and it is much more likely to teach them respect as well as helping them approach conflict in a more productive manner.
Respect is a very good characteristic to have, and I think this is a trait that a lot of people subconsciously look for when building new friendships and relationships.
What do you think being respectful means? How do you feel when someone is disrespectful to you? What kind of behaviours would you classify as being disrespectful? Let me know in the comments below!
Sources:
Explaining Respect to Children
Learning About and Teaching Respect
How to be Disrespectfully Respectful
Huffington Post – 6 Ways I Teach My Kid Respect