Parenting Tips- Teach Your Children That Manners Matter

By Anonymous

Parenting our children to value manners will teach them respect for you and others.

Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper upbringing by your parents, a sound set of manners—and witnesses.

Family Dinners Create Closeness

You don't need a large dinner party to create closeness in your own family. Even if your schedules are hectic, or you aren't accustomed to sitting down together, you can still workout ways to bring the ritual of family dinners back into your home.

Here’s how to begin:

Establish a schedule of family dinners to be eaten together. This may mean once a week, on Sundays, or three times a week, every other night. The important thing is to schedule a specific time for dinner. Make it clear that everyone is expected to be there, and establish some ground rules. These should conform to your own family's needs, of course, but here are some good ones to consider:

• The television is off.
• Books, magazines, and headphones are put away.
• Family members can have guests only with the permission of the person cooking and the head of the household.
• Guests are expected to perform the same tasks as the person who invited them, unless they are honored guests like a grandmother or a boss.

Everyday Manners

Behaviors

• Say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you.
• Be kind to one another in word and manner.
• Do little acts of kindness for one another.
• Help when someone needs assistance.
• Let others know how they can help.
• Respect one another.
• If differences get in the way, learn about them.
• Respect one another's differences.

Speaking

• Talk to each other the way you want your children to talk.
• Treat each other with respect.
• Use respectful language when talking to each other.
• Say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you.
• Allow others to finish their sentences before talking.
• Respond to adults with full sentences.
• Look others in the eye when speaking to them.
• Be on time.
• Call if you will be more than fifteen minutes late.
• Inform others when you plan to depart and return.

Greetings and Introductions

Any good etiquette book has lots in it on this topic. But does your family own one? Most do not. I understand etiquette books are now back "in." (For the longest time they were "out.") Buy one. They help take the anxiety out of new situations.

It is important to teach children about introductions. Otherwise, introductions can be uncomfortable, or just not done. The proper method is to present the junior person to the senior person. So, if young Marvin has Sam over to study, he presents Sam saying, "Mom, this is my friend, Sam. Sam, this is my mom."

The Telephone

Families need to decide who will answer the phone, how to speak on the phone and how to call someone to the phone. (Hint: The correct answer is not to scream. Get an intercom or walk to the person.)

According to the popular saying, training begins at home.

Cheers!