While a child's bad manners aren't always intentional, here are 12 simple manners all kids should know.
Focussing on these 12 good manners to your little one before they turn 9 years old will mean you'll end up with a thoughtful and polite child who gets recognised for the right reasons.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it's also important to model this good behaviour to your child, because they learn by watching everyone around them.
Here are 12 simple manners all kids should know.
12 simple manners all kids should know
Advertisement
- Say 'please': You can model this good behaviour by saying "please" when you ask your child for something.
- Say 'thank you': You should teach your kids from a young age to always express gratitude. Again, modeling these good manners will go a long way.
- Wait your turn: Learning to take turns in conversation, without interruption, can be difficult for young children. Develop this skill by explaining why taking turns is important. Kids should understand that sometimes it's OK to interrupt adults, like when there's an emergency.
- Say 'excuse me': Sometimes your child will need to interrupt you. They might have a bathroom emergency, for example, or their sibling fell and got hurt. In these cases, the phrase "excuse me" is the most polite way to enter the conversation.
- Ask permission: Teach your child to ask permission when they have any doubt about doing something. You may also have standing rules about situations that require permission, like answering the door, borrowing your phone, or getting snacks from the kitchen.
- Don't comment on people's appearance: Kids say what they see because they haven't developed the social skills to avoid saying what they think. So, it's important that you lay down the rules of what's appropriate from an early age.
- Reciprocate greetings: For example, when someone asks how you are, give your response, and then reciprocate by asking how they are.
- Knock on closed doors: Doors are for privacy, so if a door is closed, your child should knock before entering.
- Don't use foul language: Teach kids not to use foul or impolite language by cleaning up your own words.
- Say 'pardon me': Like if they bump into someone by accident, they need to excuse themselves.
- Hold the door: It's polite to hold the door for other people.
- Offer to help: Let your kids know that it's courteous to help people out, whether it's a parent, a teacher, or a neighbour.
