Are manners becoming a thing of the past ?
Good basic manners should never go out of style. They are a sign of respect and good old fashion etiquette. Saying please and thank you, and apologizing when you are in the wrong, are something that we should all adhere to.
Teaching teens good manners is an important part of teaching them how to get along in today's society. My opinion is, that teaching our kids manners is not something that we should just leave to our schools. It is our duty as parents, to make sure our children are taught both good manners and good behaviour.
It may seem funny to some, seeing the words 'teens and manners' in the same sentence, but never fear, everyone is capable of having and using good manners, and teens are no exception to the rule. It is a matter of principal and weather or not you want a relationship with your teen that is respectful both ways.
Teaching my sons good manners is something that I started at a very young age, and is something that I still teach remind them of on a daily basis. I think nothing of giving my boys a gentle nudge in the right direction when it comes to the use of manners. I don't care where we are at the time, out in public or in our own home. The lack of manners in my sons is not something that I tolerate.
Teaching teens manners is not rocket science. You can get them to use their manners the same way you would get them to do other things. Be clear with your expectations, be firm and fair. You need to set by example, other wise how do expect your teen to follow your required guidelines ? Rewarding the use of good manners is also as important as pointing out their use of bad ones. Nobody wants to be criticised all the time, we all at one time or another look for encouragement and praise.
Your teen needs to be reminded that they should treat others the same as they wish to be treated !
Teach your kids to be respectful, honest and courteous, no matter whose path they may cross. They will not always get the same respect in return, and this can be deflating and frustrating, but at least they can smile and be proud of themselves for showing respect and the practice of good manners.
A list of basic manners that I require of my teens, and believe should be taught to all are -
* Saying please, thank you and excuse me
* Apologising when in the wrong
* Do not interrupt when someone else is speaking
* Asking permission when they want something
* Keeping hands to themselves
* Covering their mouths when coughing/nose when sneezing
* Using appropriate table manners -
Chew with your mouth closed
No elbows on the table
Asking to leave the table when finished their meal
I am not naive. I live in the real world and know that my teens do not always mind their manners, they can easily be forgotten in the heat of the moment no matter who we are.
I know my teens are far from perfect, they are normal, typical teens.....but I am proud to say that I have done my best to instill good manners in my four sons and hope that it is something that they will continue to use throughout their lives.
Do you think that manners are becoming a thing of the past ?
Do you think that manners should be left to the schools to instill in our children ?
I look forward to your feed back.
beck xx
Happily linking up with
Jess for another week of IBOT
