How to instill good manners in your child

Having good manners is a perfect way to groom morals in your child. Your child’s behaviour towards others in words, deeds and action is key to the overall wellbeing of your child.

Manners make a lasting impression and help us choose our words wisely. It translates to good social behaviour and plays a significant role in building relationships and friendships while showing others that you care about them.

Good manners make other people feel appreciated and respected. It reflects what or how you have been taught, raised and helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for a healthy self-image.

However, what is key as parents is modeling these behaviours as it is the best way to teach your child good manners. When your child knows how to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ where necessary, the parent is praised for their effort in instilling manners. Hence, parents can instill good manners in their children right from their infancy.

As parents, we begin to teach our children good manners at birth without realising it. While the root of good manners is respect for another person, respect lies on the sensitivity of the individual. This is a quality a child imbibes from infancy which helps them to become naturally respectful.

The sensitive infant will naturally become a respectful child who, because he cares for another’s feelings, will naturally become a well-mannered person.

Parents should also teach polite words early by constantly using them while conversing with your child. As early as two, a child should be made to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, even though he doesn’t understand the courteousness implied. At least you’ve planted these social niceties into your child’s vocabulary; later they will be used with the understanding that they make others feel good about helping you.

As adults, ensure your little one hears you interact with the same politeness you are instilling in them, that way you are modeling the manners who hope to see them exhibit.

Don’t force manners on your child. While it is important to occasionally use the phrase, ‘say please …’, when a child is seeking a request, you could go overboard and lose its essence. The child could become exhausted even before understanding these polite words. Hence, when you remind a child to say ‘please’, do so as part of good speech, not as a requirement for getting what he wants. Be sure he hears a lot of good speech from you. Overdo politeness while you’re teaching it and he’ll catch the idea faster.

It is very important to correct your child politely either by words or gestures. Your child should understand that you are correcting out of love and concern, not being controlling. It should show your child that you value him and want him to learn.

The reason why some children are very polite is because they are brought up in an environment that expects good manners. A child with good manners is enjoyed by all and makes the environment conducive for people around. Manners make everyone’s life easier.