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Got Manners?
Teaching Our Children the Golden Rules By Donna Smith
Offutt is currently working on a problem many parents have interrupting. "I hate doing that because I feel it's almost as bad to stop the conversation and look at him and sternly say, 'You need to wait until I am done. I will talk to you in a moment,'" she says. "I feel like Jekyll and Hyde."
When teaching manners to younger children, Vankevich says to keep it simple and make it fun. "When children see how proud their parents are when they greet an adult politely and shake their hand, they'll be encouraged to do it again," she says.
"Even the youngest children can learn to have a penitent heart and sincerely say, 'I'm sorry,'" says Vankevich. "When they have to ask forgiveness and wait for a response, it keeps them from just flippantly saying 'sorry' and moving on."
Parents reap many awards to raising a child with good manners. "When my daughter says, 'Thanks for the delicious dinner, Mom,' it just makes me want to make an even yummier dinner tomorrow," says Vankevich. "A thankful attitude is so inspiring. Just last week my 12-year-old daughter said, 'Mom, thanks for driving me to soccer' as she hopped out of the car. It sure makes all the work of being a parent even more meaningful when you know that you're appreciated."
