Politeness & Manners 101 for Kids
Have you ever wanted to tell a child, who wasn’t being very polite, to please be polite? Well, sometimes it’s hard to teach kids to be polite. Either they aren’t ready or they just have no desire to say please and thank you. Well, being polite is a part of society. We say please and thank you to show appreciation to someone who has helped us. However, being polite is more than just please and thank you. Here are tips to help keep your child in check with their manners and politeness.
Model the Behavior Yourself
Just like anything else in life, our children learn from us. If you’d like your child to say please and thank you, why not model it yourself? From the way we talk to the way we walk, our children are watching us. One way to teach your children politeness and manners is to be that way yourself.
Be Consistent in Public and at Home
If your child is screaming and crying because they want a toy, and you said no, but you bought it for them anyways, what are you teaching them? Children know when we’re being consistent and when we’re not. For example: at home you would have been firm in your decision to not give your child that toy when you said no. However, with everyone staring at you and a toddler tantrum the size of Texas, you gave in anyway. Being consistent at home and in public can teach our kids to control their emotions a little more, which equals in a more polite miniature human. (By the way, every parent in the world is guilty of this in some form)!
Kids are Human Too
While we as parents want our kids to be super polite, remember that are human. They are bound to make mistakes. You can’t punish your child every time they forget to say please and thank you. Besides, you don’t want your child to be a robot when it comes to being polite and using their manners. You want to raise children that are automatically polite because they want to be (trust me, this will take some time).
Reminders are Welcome
Just as your children are human and they make mistake, they will need reminders from time to time. For example: while trick or treating, always say please and always say thank you. At birthday parties, always say “thanks for coming.” Anything that someone goes out of their way to do for you, should always be greeted with appreciation.
It is not easy to raise a toddler into a children that turns into an adult to be thankful for everything they have. (Look at society in general now). However, it is possible! With a lot of hard work, you will raise a child who complains less and does more and is eternally grateful for everything they have!
