The other day my two and a half year old grandson looked up at me and said, “Your shirt pretty, Nana.” That was the first compliment he has given me and will no doubt not be the last. It was so sweet coming from that special little guy.

We often forget how much children learn just from watching others and how they interact. I know my little grandson has seen  people pay compliments to each other. Whether or not people realized  he was paying attention is another matter. It makes you wonder what else he is seeing and taking in without the adults in his life even realizing it. Scary thought, isn’t it?

If you have children in your life, you’ve got to remember that they are very watchful and much more astute than you may realize.  Children learn to appreciate others and to hate others from watching the adults in their lives. A child’s behavior is often a reflection of what is going on in the parent’s life. The parent may be totally unaware of this but outsiders can see it easily.

Treat children as you want to be treated. Yes, they are little people in terms of stature and experience but they will never mature into the adults they can be if they are continually treated as youngsters and given no respect. My fondest memories as a child are of the times I spent with adults who respected me and my intelligence. They didn’t talk down to me or try to put me in my place. Because of this, they will always hold a special place in my heart.