Do you ever feel like your kids just need a few quick lessons on etiquette, but you aren’t quite sure where to start? Children often react to situations based on their immediate emotional response and often don’t know the limits of what’s acceptable versus what’s not. From little things like nose picking to knowing when outside and inside voices are acceptable, helping your kids understand what’s appropriate for certain situations will set the stage for years to come. Here’s a look at some simple etiquette to teach your kids that will help them become the well-mannered and kind children everyone loves to have around.
- Say Please and thank you. This is easy to reinforce and will become a habit they’ll take well into adulthood.
- Do not use inappropriate language.
- Wait for grownups to finish talking before interrupting them. (unless there is an emergency, of course!) And, if you do need to interrupt, learn to use the phrase “excuse me”.
- If you have to sneeze or cough, cover your mouth or nose and say, “excuse me”.
- Be kind to others. Sounds simple, but this can be a tough lesson to learn. However, probably one of the most important lessons to take through life.
- Keep comments to yourself when it’s something that’s not kind. Teasing and mean spirited name-calling is not OK.
- At the dinner table, place your napkin on your lap and use it to wipe your mouth, if necessary. Also, teach your children to correctly use utensils.
- Use a tissue in the bathroom rather than picking your nose in public.
- Learn to hold the door for others and say “thank you” when someone holds the door for you.
- Teach your children at a young age to write thank you notes. This is one of the most polite and appreciated exercises out there.
What are the core etiquette lessons you teach your young children? What’s been the easiest habit for them to adopt and what’s the most challenging?
