I grew up in a time when respect sat at the centre of our upbringing and education. We were taught to refer to older people as Uncle, Aunt, Mr or Mrs. Those titles weren’t about distance — they were about honour, humility, and knowing your place in the world.

Today, many of us adults want to be seen as equals to our children. We allow young people to call us by our first names, and that’s fine if we’re genuinely comfortable with what it represents. But let’s be honest: this shift didn’t happen to us — it happened because of us.

When standards drop, respect becomes optional. When respect becomes optional, honour fades. And when honour fades, children end up leading the home instead of being guided within it. High stan…