Respect has different meanings for different people. To learn respect children must first be respected. For example, treat others as you would like to be treated. Qualities such as empathy, compassion, kindness, and caring must be taught. If a parent fears a compassionate child will be teased or bullied, respectful assertiveness is needed.

Compassion, or empathy, means identifying with and being concerned about other people's feelings and needs. It provides the emotional root for caring about other people. It allows us to be understanding and tolerant of different points of views and beliefs, it makes us aware of the suffering of others, and it allows us to empathize with them or to feel their suffering as our own. Compassion also allows us to feel joy and excitement—rather than anger and despair—at other people's successes and achievements.

You know how important writing will be to your child's life. It will be important from first-grade through college and throughout adulthood.

Understanding how children develop will help parents and other caregivers know what to expect. Children constantly change and develop as they grow. Researchers have found that young children pass through specific stages of development along the way.