| It's almost Christmas and there will be lots of family | | | | napkin instead of your pants when your hands are |
| visits and many presents will be given. Do your children | | | | dirty, is a tough thing for children. It's just a natural thing |
| have good manners? How do you teach your children | | | | for them to wipe their hands on whatever is |
| about good manners? This is a great time to teach | | | | convenient, but it is considered bad table manners. |
| your children about the importance of being polite and | | | | Your fingers are not eating utensils, unless you are |
| letting people know you are grateful. Children do not | | | | actually eating finger foods. Make sure they use their |
| automatically have good manners installed in them, | | | | utensils when eating. Have your children ask to be |
| they have to be taught this behavior and then good | | | | excused before they leave the table. It may seem old |
| manners need to be reinforced. | | | | fashioned, but it part of proper etiquette. |
| I think most parents want their children to have | | | | 4. Have your children help clean up after a family |
| manners etiquette, but they just don't quite know how | | | | gathering. Clean up toys that were played with or |
| to go about passing them on to their children. One of | | | | clean dishes off the table after eating. This will help |
| the most important things children need to understand | | | | teach your child to have good manners. |
| is that the best presents are kindness and | | | | 5. Help pick out present for family and friends. Teach |
| consideration. Some of the best presents come from | | | | them to take some time to think about what that |
| the heart, not in a package. Here are some ways to | | | | person would really enjoy getting for a present. |
| start with when teaching your children manners. | | | | 6. When shopping, it is always nice to smile at a busy |
| | | | salesperson. You never know when you might make |
| 1. Always say "please" and "thank you." The best way | | | | their day. |
| for your children learn is by example. If you say please | | | | 7. When you receive a gift, write a thank you note. If |
| and thank you, your children will follow. This is the best | | | | your child does not write yet, it's still great to have |
| way to teaching manners. | | | | them color a picture or scribble a note. |
| 2. Greet visitors by looking up at their face and saying | | | | Manners are not just something you do when we |
| "Hello". Tell your children to always try to figure out | | | | have holidays, but they must be practiced all year long. |
| what color a persons eyes are. This will ensure that | | | | It is best to start young, but it is never to late to start |
| they always make eye contact. This is all part of | | | | teaching good manners. Your children might not catch |
| etiquette when greeting someone. | | | | on at first, but soon it will become a good habit. Be |
| 3. At the table, speak with an " inside voice. Using a | | | | consistent and you will see results! |