How to Encourage Good Manners in Children of All Ages

Many parents put off teaching their children about having good manners until they are getting ready to start school however there are ways to encourage good manners both in the home and outside of the home for kids of all ages. Here is look at some ways to encourage good manners from infants to pre-teens.

Most infants try to absorb everything their parents say and do. They pick up on their parents mannerisms, expressions and even the tone of their voice. This can be a great tool when parents choose to start teaching their child manners. One great way to get this started is during play time or even meal time. As a parent plays with their child they can give their child a toy and say to them "Now say "thank you"." The same goes for when a parent goes to feed their child. Whether they are giving them a bottle, breastfeeding or feeding them baby food they can encourage the infant to say "please and thank you" before and after each feeding. Of course the infant is likely not to repeat the words just yet but they are still learning and will begin to recognize these important manners and associate them with the right actions.

In toddlers an easy way to get them to practice manners can be as simple as a little encouragement. Children of this age LOVE praise of any kind. Even after reminding them to practice good manners telling them "Good job!" will help them remember to use them the next time. Stickers can also help. Getting a few packages of stickers of your toddler's favorite movie or TV show characters and giving them one after they practice good manners or sharing can also help boost this good behavior. A good behavior chart is another excellent way to get them excited about having good manners. Parents can print these out online or make one of their own. At the end of the day parents can mark off if their kids practiced good manners for the day and if they do consecutively for the week the parent can give them a small treat or take them on a special outing.

When dealing with older children it can seem a bit tricky. Often times they can get so caught up in whatever activity they are doing they can simply forget or they think they are being "cool" by not practicing good manners. When dealing with situations like this you can start out by simply reminding them a few times. If they still do not "remember" or practice them the way they are supposed to you can move on to other steps such as taking a small amount off of their allowance or even taking away special privileges. This can seem harsh but after a few times of losing some of their allowance or something else they enjoy they will likely pick up on their manners again.

Patience is always important when trying to install manners in any child of any age. It may take some work but in the end it will worth all the time and effort you put into it.