Are manners important? Of course they are. However, we tend to be a bit more relaxed at home. We don’t always say please or thank you to our spouses, children, or other family members, even though we do so for complete strangers. It’s a bad habit to get into but we can correct fairly easily.
We can also teach our kids by example. No one is suggesting that a parent beg a child to do what he or she is supposed to do, but there is nothing wrong with saying, “Please take out the trash.” There is nothing wrong with saying thank you when it’s done.
These are not the only courtesies that apply at home, but they are two very big ones, represented by very small words. Don’t you feel more appreciated when you’re thanked for doing something? I know I do, even if it’s not exactly in those words.
My husband will say, “Good food, Babe,” if he enjoys the meal. That with a kiss makes it worth the effort. The kids have picked up on it and often say, “Good food, Mom,” too. Their hugs and acknowledgement make cooking dinner a more pleasant experience instead of just another chore.
We’re not the perfect family, and we don’t always remember to use our manners, but we try. It makes things a little nicer. If we can say please and thank you to people on the street, we can certainly use our manners with the people we love and share a home with, right?
Maybe you already do this regularly. However, it’s easy to let it slide and it happens to all of us. So, if you can’t remember the last time you said please or thank you to someone in your home, start saying it again today. You might be surprised by how quickly others will reciprocate, and hey, who doesn’t want to feel more appreciated?
Oh, and thank you for reading. 🙂