"Manners- One of the most difficult things parents have to teach"

[DoulaClara]

:hunh Am I dim? The local "news" is on, and the announcer just said this (as an intro to his next story, coming up after all of the law office commercials). Is this really that hard for people?

I had a wonderful friend in Chicagoland with two little boys at the time, who was a total example to me about how to be graceful and gentle with her boys, while at the same time maintaining fairly high standards for respect in her house, and I've carried that forward in my house (and with my former students, too). I think manners are a more easily done thing- you simply model the daylights out of it, and whammo- you're done.

I know lots of people have lots of ideas about what "manners" looks like, so that's not what this is, but seriously? Is this really that hard? I model "Please," "Thank you/ No thank you" and "Excuse me/us" to Gianna constantly, and always have. And all of the above are part of her normal vocab at this point. Table manners is a work in progress, but we model excusing ourselves and keeping elbows off the table until dishes are cleared, and using utensils, and while it's still not an "always" thing for her, Gianna's picking that up, too, without being explicitly told or cajoled into doing it.

Is it an adult patience issue? Or is my kid just having an easy time at picking this stuff up? Or is it just some filler for air time for this "news" broadcast?

[ArmsOfLove]

I think we live in a culture that has forgotten a large dose of manners and maybe remembering to be polite is harder than we think :scratch

I also think there is the "do as I say and not as I do" unrealistic expectation :sigh

[hey mommy]

I agree w/Crystal. Sadly, it's one of those things that people just don't do anymore. It stinks. While other kids(and their parents) are pushing through & knocking people over, C is standing there sweetly saying "excuse me, can we get by please?". I prefer his sweetness, even if it takes longer to get something done.

[sweetpeasmommy]

Yeah, you have to have them to teach them.

[ReedleBeetle]

:shrug3 We don't find manners hard here. Unless you include the "Do not body slam people with your head." rule....then we have a bit more trouble.

[TuneMyHeart]

I agree, as a society we've forgotten manners and kindness. But they haven't been particularly hard to teach here at all. :no

[Rea T]

:shrug3 We don't find manners hard here. Unless you include the "Do not body slam people with your head." rule....then we have a bit more trouble.

:giggle Yeah, that. Sure there are individual things we have trouble with (talking with their mouth full) but overall I think their manners are fairly age appropriate. "Please, Thank You, you're welcome." And J has learned yes sir and yes ma'am from tae kwon do.

News reports like to make everything sound difficult and dramatic.

[hey mommy]

:shrug3 We don't find manners hard here. Unless you include the "Do not body slam people with your head." rule....then we have a bit more trouble.

:lol

The only manner we find hard at our house is the 'cover your mouth when you burp' one.. Ugh. This boy & burping.. As if the reg. burping wasn't bad enough, he's trying to perfect the art of talking while burping(and doing a very good job, if I do say so myself.. :giggle )

[Two Little Birds]

Manners are expected in my house and a gentle reminder is given if they are forgotten. I have gotten many compliments on how polite A is, but really I think he is no more polite than all kids should be. I was told by a family member not to be "too hard" on him with the manner thing because toddlers just can't be expected to remember them. But then again, her 15 year old just can't seem to remember them either.:scratch