Nota Bene.

Nota bene is latin word which translates into "pay attention" or "take notice."

It is in the singular imperative mood, instructing one individual to note well the matter at hand. 

When someone says "pay attention or take notice," we normally take heed, especially when we are in a formal situation or venues, such as in meetings, presentations, conferences, in churches, etc. 

When our parents or spouses tell us "pay attention," we could sometimes react negatively or get incensed by the seeming command, but still, we listen.

Kids with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) find it hard to pay attention, by the very nature of their disorder.

"Kids who have ADHD are not bad, lazy, or stupid. They have a disorder that means they might have problems paying attention or sitting still in their seats. They can also act on impulse — this means doing things without thinking about them first. Kids with ADHD may spend a lot of time in the principal's office. Sometimes they do things that cause them to get hurt. They might change their friends a lot," according to www.kidshealth.org.

When children, without ADHD, fail to take notice of what their elders tell them, parents take it as being disrespectful or being hard headed.

Sometimes simple instructions land into deaf ears because the party/ies to whom the message has been directed simply are not focusing or distracted. If this happens in an office setting (e.g. admin support not paying attention to boss' instructions), it could spell trouble for an employee. Continued incapacity to follow instructions can lead to dismissal.

There are instances in personal relationships when one spouse or partner may play deaf to the other's oral pronouncements, or physical needs, or arguments, or concerns.  If the "indifference" is intentional, it could be cause for marital trouble.

Grown up children who refuse to pay attention to what their parents are saying to them, or worse, not take notice of their parants' sacrifices and years of rearing them, are acting immature and ungrateful. 

There was a Filipina maid in Singapore who'd been endowed millions of dollars by her doctor-employer whom she cared for for more than twenty years.  The maid said, "I've spent more hours with her than with my own mother." 

Good deed begets good deed. Parents can disown or disinherit their own children who had become monsters, and rely and take care of people who've shown them respect and love.