Raising a respectful child

As a father, I worry about my daughters when they go to college. I am in a business where I can observe people of all walks of life and how they interact with others, sober and otherwise. This has led me to think seriously about the things a young woman should look out for and think about when she goes to college. One subject I am very concerned about is the dating aspect of a young woman in college. Some girls see this opportunity as a chance to break free and do whatever they want, without regard of consequences, hence the "girls gone wild," video's. I just cannot see how they can face themselves the next day, or their parents if they happen to be in one of those video's and a buddy at work with one of their parents recognizes them. Can you imagine the shame and embarrassement of the parents when told their daughter is on this video? Can you imagine how Monica Lewinski's father had to deal with her publicity? I would be heartbroken if that were me. I think to prevent this from happening, parents need to start early establishing the base for what their children believe and how they behave. If they have been raised with the proper respect for themselves and others, they will not only know better, but will not desire to partake of these embarrassing events. Setting guidelines, enforcing discipline and giving tough love in the raising process, instead of giving in to their demands or whining behavior, will set the groundwork for children to be able to cope with life and its decisions. I firmly believe being a part of your childrens' lives early on, and staying in touch with their activities and needs, will help them to know you care and how to know what is acceptable in life. Our duties as parents are not only to love them, but show them as well how to cope with the dissapointments in life and how to do this with class and grace. Life is not fair, but how you deal with it, is a reflection of the person you are. If the raising is right, then there is nothing to fear or worry about. Your child will carry on the principles you helped to establish in them. They will stand their ground in the face of adversity and peer pressure. They will be the ones respected for standing on their beliefs. Popularity is not the same as respectability. To be famous or infamous is not nearly as important as being respected. The friends the famous person has are usually fleeting and shallow with few true friends involved. The respected person knows lifelong friendships and admiration, mainly because it is reciprocated in kind. The respected person understands, you respect yourself, and you can respect others. When this happens, you can receive respect as well.