It’s Hip to Have Manners (and Not Hard to Teach Them!)

Our children see a barrage of rude behaviors on TV, in music videos, in video games, in movies and online. If you want your children’s manners to reach a higher standard, how do you counteract those external, powerful influences? You do not have to be Emily Post to encourage good manners. Here’s how to get started.

Explain the why

The essence of good manners is that you respect yourself and the other person. Remind your children of times when someone else has offered them a simple courtesy, such as holding a door, and made them feel valued.

Teach greetings for when guests arrive

Decide upon how formal you want to be. You may want a child to stand, shake hands and address visitors. Or maybe you are satisfied with teaching your child to say hello and make eye contact with the visitor, even if they remain seated on the couch. Your rules may vary depending upon the guest.

Develop a technology basket

Declare a ban on electronic use when interacting with another person. Deposit cell phones and mobile devices in the basket so that there is no texting at dinner or when hanging out with family and friends.

Request courteous greetings for family members

Say good morning and good night to each family member while making eye contact. This ensures you are all truly present for each other and it may help minimize those teenage grumpy starts to the day.

Teach the value of promptness

Speak to your children about how it feels when people do not arrive on time and keep others waiting. If you notice that tardiness is a chronic issue for your family, look at your level of organization and your number of commitments. Maybe a few changes to the family schedule would have you feeling less rushed.

Remind them to follow the leader

If your child is in a new situation, say at a friend’s house for dinner and the table is set “fancy,” suggest that they sit back and watch what their host does. That way they know they are following the expectations of that household. This rule comes in handy for grown-ups too because we don’t know the rules in every situation and it is OK to admit that.

Encourage the holding of doors

When you are out in public, model the kind act of holding the door for the person entering behind you, or the person who looks like they could use the help. Smile and say thank you to anyone who does the same. Your children will see that it feels good to interact so positively with others.

Teach them about selfishness

Why are manners good for them? People who are kind are more desirable to be around. Your children are more likely to get repeat invitations when they practice good manners. Manners are also good for self-esteem because we all feel better about ourselves when we are doing the right thing.

– Sue LeBreton