If you were to able to score your child – how would you measure their development and growth?
Here at our home, we do so by constantly guiding our three little children in the art of etiquette and manners.
There are five keywords that our children have already mastered and when you hear them speak, you too would be astonished.
The first is “thank you”
The second is “please”.
The third is “good morning/evening”.
The fourth is “you’re welcome”.
And the final phrase they have down pat is “good bye Mom/Dad.”
Our three children are amazing. And as a parent, I constantly have to internally correct myself before I speak with Nicholas, Antoinette or Jeff Jr. to be sure to preface everything I ask them to do with the word “please”.
I then end each sentence by (sometimes more than once) saying “thank you”.
These are critically important keywords that will serve the children well when they enter a world that is quickly becoming less “civil” – people who have forgotten what their parents taught them and quickly descending “into the gutter” with vile language and gestures.
Question: How does a child become a racist or say racist things when confronted with others who may have a different skin color or hail from a country different from the one they are living in? Many times those negative thoughts and feelings are not only projected onto our children through a crass and cold media but also through words and deeds of the parents.
Here in our home, no negativism is ever presented to the children.
They are never called “stupid” or “ugly”.
Our home is filled with love and acceptance for our children, constantly praising them for what they do well and challenging them to do better when they stumble and fall.
Weaved throughout are the foundations of proper etiquette and manners.
Both Cris and I constantly thank the children for doing this and that.
When Nicholas holds up his cup at breakfast – obviously wanting it to be instantly filled with cold milk – I look at him (never away) and ask him what he wants. With a little prodding, he will say “Please may I have some milk?”
I always smile and tell him that I would be happy to do so and after pouring it – pausing the glass on the table, waiting for him to say “thank you” which of course he does.
Every time.
Parenting is the hardest job in the world that you will never see paper money from.
But …
When your child “gets it” and uses proper manners at the kitchen table and throughout their day … it is far better than receiving “colored” paper money!
