Let’s not just hope for the best with our sons. If you want him to respect the girls in his life, I’m pretty sure he is going to need some input from you. Small talks that make him think will work the best. He will certainly resist and make you feel uncomfortable, but this topics is important.

I’m not just talking about when he has girlfriend. I think with adolescent boys, it is best to talk about girls when he begins to have girls as friends.

Here are a few topics to consider that he has probably not thought about yet.

• A girl feels respected by you when you take time to listen to what she is saying. That means that you look at her and express an interest in what she is saying.
• Girls don’t want you to fix their problems for them. They want you to be positive about their choices.
• Respect a girl’s privacy. If she tells you something that she doesn’t want you to share, don’t share it. She will be very hurt if it comes back to her through your sharing. The only exception to this suggestion is if she tells you something that makes you concerned about her health or something she might do to herself or others that is dangerous.

Real Life Examples

If you are the mom, think about what makes you feel respected. It means a lot to your son to know this more personal side of you and might even help your relationship with him. When you are watching something in the media together, or just watching people in your everyday life, look for opportunities to mention the positive and negative expression of respect that you see.

If you are the dad, your son is going to look to you for a real-life example of what it means to be respectful of a girl. That can be a lot of pressure for you, but it is good for him to hear what you think. Real life examples of respectful moments will have a big impact on him. Share the moments when you can.