Good Manners mean treating other people with courtesy and politeness and showing correct public behavior. It is a way of showing other people that we have respect for them.
Does it really matter to you if your child talks back, acts selfishly, or talks extremely rudely to adults? It surely does! There is no doubt that a child who doesn’t know how to be polite will become a teenager who has trouble making friends or getting along with other family members.
Raising a child today is a very tough job. With all of the negative influences they have in their lives, it isn’t easy to bring them on the right path. But, one area that will never be “old school” when it comes to raising good kids is, teaching them manners.
As a diligent homemaker, your parenting skills go beyond teaching your child to say, “Please” and “Thank you”. Teaching a child what behavior is expected is a daily process, and you will have many opportunities each day to steer your child in the right direction.
But you must first understand that, your child’s rude attitude isn’t always intentional. Sometimes kids just don’t realize it’s impolite to interrupt, pick their nose, touch other people’s things, or loudly observe that the man walking in front of them has a bow leg.
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, you may not always have the time to focus on teaching etiquette to them, but that’s not an excuse to shift your responsibility to their school teacher. Good Manners begin at home. It is at home that children should learn to greet, apologize, be kind, honest, neat, punctual, polite, organized, respect others, and not touch other people’s belongings. Teachers will only reinforce what the children have learned at home.
No matter how busy you are, teach your children good manners because, when you finish with them, the rest of the world has to live with them. Here are some tips to help teach good manners to your children:
Model Manners
The hardest job children face today is learning good manners without seeing any. If you want your child to have good manners, you must make sure you do as well. The first step to having a mannerly child is being a mannerly parent. Children are natural mimics, they act like their parents. This is definitely not an area in which you can get them to do as you say and not as you do. Be a confident parent from day 1 with Modern Manners for Moms & Dads: a practical guide (for parents with children age 0-5) on parenting etiquette, good manners and other child rearing tips.
Establish Rules and Routines.
If you have very specific rules and routines you will find that things will flow more peacefully. If you don’t, then expect chaos. It is well worth the time and effort to establish family priorities, rules, and schedules for the usual daily routines. Practice them at home. Your children will not just pick up the habit of good manners by telepathy. They need to know what the rules are. Tell them, put them in writing, and try including them in fun, playtime activities.
Take Them Out.
Once you’ve taught and reinforced the manners and rules at home, take your children out to casual restaurants, the library, the shopping mall, and other places where they can practice what they’ve learned.
Take charge.
Simply give yourself permission to be in charge and begin expecting your children to obey you. With this solid foundation, you will build a loving, trusting relationship with your children. More importantly, you will be able to lead your children into adulthood with values, wisdom, and life skills that only a strong, supportive parent can impart.
Encourage Your Children.
Children love praise, especially when it comes from a parent or someone they respect. Very often parents respond only to their children’s undesirable behavior, ignoring their victories and positive actions. This choice may actually have the reverse result. Children want attention any way they can get it, even if that means doing bad things. Encourage them, give them a medal when they are polite.
Rephrase.
When your child states her feelings in a less-than-polite way, you can rephrase what she already said in the way you find acceptable. So if she says, “I hate this green stuff!” You can politely correct her by saying, “What you should say is, ‘I don’t like spinach’.”
Accept Mistakes.
You must accept that little children will spill, drop and break things. It takes time to acquire the motor skills necessary to be neat and tidy. Children will make social blunders. It takes maturity to learn how to act in social situations. Accept age-appropriate mistakes for simple childishness.
Correct Privately.
As annoying as your child’s lack of manners may be, resist the urge to reprimand him in front of other people. Making a scene as you attempt to teach your child proper manners can just be bad manners on your part. Often times, what the child needs is a lesson or two from you on the correct behavior. Be specific when you teach your child and remember that follow-up lessons are necessary.
When you know your child has learned the proper way to behave it is important to expect those good manners. Be consistent. Require good manners every day. Remind gently. Over time you will find your children turning into proper ladies and gentlemen, and they will always remember you as a good parent.
