Manners All Kids Should Know

This past weekend there were about 10 kids at my family’s house for the weekend, and for the most part, the screaming, crying and whining was kept to a minimum. I started asking my sister-in-law’s friends what they do to teach their infants and toddlers manners. It’s true — you’ll never get your 2-year-old to chew with her mouth closed. But you might be surprised what she can learn if you focus on conveying the idea of manners, the principle that there are ways to behave and ways not to behave.  In my opinion, the most important is:

THE GOLDEN RULE
We can, however, use kids’ tendencies to help them learn. The Golden Rule – treating others the way you want to be treated – is well applied to basic manners. When kids can see how they can benefit from using manners – both the simple and the more complex – they are more apt to use them.

Here is a list we should all aim for (or at least I want to try for!):

Manner #1
When asking for something, say “Please.” When receiving something, say “Thank you.”

Manner #2
Clean up after yourself. Whether at home or at a friend’s house, always pick up after yourself. It’s their mess, so they need to clean it up. If children leave a mess, then remind them that they need to clean up before the next activity can begin, and stick to it.

Manner #3
Do not interrupt grown-ups who are speaking with each other unless there is an emergency. They will notice you and respond when they are finished talking.

Manner #4
If you do need to get somebody’s attention right away, the phrase “excuse me” is the most polite way for you to enter the conversation

Manner #5
When people ask you how you are, tell them and then ask them how they are.

Manner #6
When you have spent time at your friend’s house, remember to thank his or her parents for having you over and for the good time you had.

Manner #7
Don’t call people mean names.

Manner #8
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and don’t pick your nose in public.

Manner #9
As you walk through a door, look to see if you can hold it open for someone else.

Manner #10
Use eating utensils properly. If you are unsure how to do so, ask your parents to teach you or watch what adults do.

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Teaching Basic Manners for Toddlers

I recently took a trip to Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania with my fiancé and his family – he has two adorable nieces that were so well-behaved and had the best time in the amusement park. However, it was also a great reminder at how well-behaved his nieces are, and how so many parents have yet to teach their toddlers some basic manners. I don’t expect every toddler to be perfect, and think it’s not that much to ask for some basic manners (not to sound too old-fashioned). Every parent wants to raise a well-behaved child, but that sometimes feels like an impossible dream during the toddler years. pTwo- and 3-year-olds stomp their feet when they want something, crawl under the table during dinner, and snatch toys away from their friends. You might be tempted to put off teaching manners until this phase passes, but it’s the perfect time to begin.

In my opinion, when you start early, your child will learn that being polite and considerate is just the normal way people act. Just don’t expect instant perfection until your child understands the reason for politeness, he or she needs repetition and reinforcement from you.

1. Kindness: Now that your child is old enough to play with other kids, it’s important to teach her to treat them fairly. While toddlers are naturally self-centered and possessive, they can tell the difference between “nice” and “not nice” behavior, such as grabbing a toy. Kids tend to get aggressive when they don’t know how to express themselves, so if your child starts hitting, take her aside and calmly explain that she has to use her words when she wants something. Tell her why her behavior is wrong, and ask her to apologize to her friend. To make sharing more appealing to your child, start by taking turns playing with a toy together. After her time is up, ask her nicely for the toy and have her do the same when it’s your turn.
2. Please and Thank You: The magical words: Kids’ verbal skills improve rapidly now, so chances are that your little chatterbox can say “please” and “thank you.” Toddlers watch you closely and mimic what you say. Start small with simple gestures when the child is a toddler. If you want him to hand you something, extend your hand and say, “May I please have that?” When he hands it to you, thank him. Model good behavior by asking for things nicely in front of your child. If he yells “gimme,” ask him to say “please” before you let him have something. Practice “the magic words” often: Hand a toy back and forth and say “please” and “thank you” to each other.
3. Table Manners: Your toddler may prefer to eat mashed potatoes by the handful, but the good news is that she’s developing the fine motor skills needed to use utensils and wipe her hands on a napkin. Start showing her how to eat properly. Say, “See how I hold my fork? Let me see you try.” Make helpful suggestions and remind her when she makes mistakes: “Let’s finish chewing before we talk,” or “When we burp, we say ‘excuse me.'”
4. Meet-and-Greet: Your child can look at someone when they say “hello,” but it’s normal for them to freeze when faced with unfamiliar people and situations. If your child goes mute when he meets someone, give him a gentle reminder: “Max, say ‘hello’ to XYZ.” But don’t push it if he’s too shy. Modeling good behavior is more effective than forcing it.

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
AT WWW.LETOP-USA.COM

 

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