If a case of the demanding toddler or preschooler has hit your house you just may want to teach your little one some manners. While some people argue that we should just let kids be kids, I think it is important for children, even young children, to learn some basics of how to politely exist in society. I am not talking about toddler who know how to set a table, of course, but saying “please” and “thank you” and having respect for other people is certainly not out of reach.
Here are some basics of being polite and how you can teach and reinforce them with your toddler.
Being Patient
Being patient and not interrupting when someone is talking or busy is tough for young children. They operate in the immediate and have a hard time being emotionally mature enough to wait. Once they get something in their mind, it has to be given, shown or done NOW! Still, patience is important to learn, and it will make your life easier in the long run.
Give plenty of opportunity to teach patience. When you are on the phone, in a conversation with a friend or in the middle of a task and your little one interrupts, acknowledge your child and ask that he says excuse me. Once that lesson is learned, you can move on to acknowledging your child but then letting her wait a minute before giving in to the request. Tell her you will help her as soon as you can, and then follow through.
Saying Please and Thank You
Start this early. If a child says “Milk!” you repeat back “Milk Please!” Prompt him to say thank you as well. Praise your child anytime he thinks of it on his own. Very young children may not be able to say the words clearly, but they can attempt them, or nod when you say it for them. Never use the term “What do you say?” especially in the presence of other people. This can confuse your child. Instead, try something like, “Aunt Jane, Tommy would like to say thank you.” This is a better way of prompting the response, and in the event that your child is being shy and unable to talk, you can still reinforce politeness.
Do you think teaching a child to be polite is important?
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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