Guest Post by Maryann B.
Sawka
The idea of politeness is something that we
begin to teach our children when they are quite young by introducing words such
as “please” and “thank you.” Repeating those phrases a few times will have your
youngster starting to say them independently without reminders from you. When
they grow a little, we add “I’m sorry” and “you’re welcome” to the polite
vocabulary that we are building in our children. We demonstrate when to use the
words and continue to use them so that our youngsters will mimic our actions.
Children are never too young to learn
polite behavior and actions. In fact, it
is a better idea to teach manners when they are young so that the behaviors we
are teaching become a foundation on which we continue to build as our children
mature.
When we put young children together, we are
introducing a social element where they are with like-aged peers and learn
about sharing and taking turns. They are practicing these necessary skills, which
allows their playtime to be more enjoyable.
If everyone is using the same social skills, everyone should get along
and have a good time, right?
When we raise our children, we teach limits
and boundaries, which go together nicely with the idea that we should treat
each other with kindness and respect.
Granted, when children are at a very young age, we may not use words
that may be at a level that is above their understanding, such as “boundaries”
and “respect,” but we can convey the idea of politeness by using vocabulary
that they will understand. We can talk
about feelings, how everyone has feelings and how our actions and words can
affect the feelings of others. This
helps their evolution from an egocentric way of thinking to starting to put the
needs of others before our own needs.
As they grow and mature, we can introduce appropriate ways to greet and introduce others as their social lives expand through outside activities such as dance class, sports, community-related activities and more. At this point, our manners conversation moves to topics that include getting along with others, being a good friend, greeting others and similar actions. We talk about being a good guest when they are invited to join someone at their home or on an outing and being a good host when they entertain friends at their own home.
Keep in mind, that these are discussions
that are better reinforced through many conversations where dialogue is a
two-way street. Teaching manners
includes asking questions while sharing new information, without preaching. In
my etiquette workshops, I like to keep the educational part of the workshop fun
and lively with role-playing activities so that the participants have an
opportunity to share what they already know and can participate in the
learning, rather than having me present the material in the form of a lecture.
When we start talking with teens about
manners and etiquette, they should already have the foundation that we have
been building since they were young children.
We can now introduce topics that include building positive
relationships, manners in public and electronic etiquette as most teens have a
cell phone or computer. We can start to
talk about workplace etiquette as this is the time when many teens venture out
into the work world.
The evolution of good manners begins at a
young age and continues as children grow and mature. In many ways, manners instruction is a
building process much like math and reading.
If you teach the basics first, you can continue to teach higher-level
skills in a natural progression.
Children are never too young to learn good manners.
Good Table Manners Made Easy is a quick, easy-to-read resource that teaches basic table manners in a delightful fun way. It also serves as a quick refresher for the table manners that we may have forgotten.
Get a sneak peek of the book at http://youtu.be/CGGKkxa9qSQ
About the author: Maryann B. Sawka is an educator and parent, who has always embraced the notion that good manners are stylish and timely in every situation. She founded Charming Manners, a training company that educates all ages in the quest for civility and self-confidence. Sawka introduces good manners with a fun, engaging approach that makes the pursuit for knowledge an enjoyable experience.
You can find out more about Maryann B. Sawka’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/MaryannBSawka.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Sawka and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.
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