R-E-S-P-E-C-T

As the year has begun, I am learning all of the wonderful behaviors that make each of my students unique. One student that creates a struggle in my mind every day is a little girl in my room who is as bossy as they come. I am so intrigued by her behavior and what causes her to be bossy it has lead me to blog about it.
I have tried everything I know to limit her bossiness. I have discussed the issue with parents. They too see the behavior at home. I have tried complementing her for good behavior. I have tried punishing her for bossy behaviors. I have tried setting goals with her and giving her strategies in order to learn not to be bossy. I have also gotten a counselor and the principal involved. This has brought me to the Internet. I found a great article/lesson plan to teach my students how to deal with bossy students which in turn will help her realize her behavior. It will also help my students deal with bullies outside the classroom.

This makes me ponder...what creates a bossy child? Is this something they learn from home? Is it something they learn from trial and error? Or is it something they have seen on the playground and think they will give it a try? I also wonder what has happened to the respect that I once gave my teachers. If I was ever told to sit out in the hall because my teacher and I "had to talk", I knew my behavior needed to be changed, fast. What is leading to the lack of respect children seem to have?