a little off topic here... I apologize...

I understand the saying "we teach people how to treat us" to mean that the way we see ourselves reflects on the way others may treat us.... if we are self loathing and don't think we deserve things... others may get that message from us and treat us in that way-- because that is the message we are sending.. it might be unconscious... but it's still a message that others are receiving.....

If we believe in ourselves and respect our own opinions and such... then it's much more likely that others will treat us in the the same way..... I don't think it's anything to do with actually "teaching" someone or expecting a behavior out of someone... it's the "vibes"(one might call it) that a person sends off to others.... confidence or lack of.... self loving or self loathing.... do we strongly stick with what we've said and follow through or are we a push-over and have shown others that we threaten but we don't take action..... all these things are messages that we send off to others... messages on how they may perceive us resulting in them treating us in a particular way....

does that make sense??......

I do believe that we "teach" people how to treat us. in the way that I have explained it anyway.... though.... I think for small children when there's divorce involved or anomosity between the husband and wife, one parent can play the child against the other parent.... then that is a whole other issue.....
I believe the saying pertains mostly to adult relationships-- including one's own children when they become adults.

mandy **edited-- to try and re-word better... it's hard to explain this ....**