I Don’t Care!: Learning About Respect

The book begins with a boy thinking about what respect means and that if you respect someone you admire their good qualities; you may respect your parents or teachers for this reason. Then the book goes on to show how respect is also consideration and is given by parents and teachers in the way they care. This is illustrated by an adult bandaging a foot and cheering the child on to do their best in a rugby match. This respect also reaches out to people children read about or see on television illustrated by a range of admirable people; scientists, musicians and a medic amongst others. There is respect in the way you treat other people and the illustrations and texts show the many ways in which you can show someone else a lack of respect for their feelings, privacy and safety. Animals are not left out and, of course, deserve our respect no matter how small using an illustration of grub and an elephant to show how they have the right to life like humans do. The point is made that if your give respect, you will find that others will respect and consider you. Most importantly, the book ends with the idea of self respect and that in developing self respect a child will be proud of themselves. The last illustration shows a helpful child doing the washing up and considering the needs of his Mum. Maybe on reading this book your child will copy the respectful behaviour modelled and help with the washing up like the little boy does!