How to Raise Polite Children

Posted on Dec 22, 2014 | 1 comment

The Holiday Season is a time for sharing, caring and social gatherings. Obnoxious, rude children can ruin even the best of occasions.

When you do not instill the value of being kind and courteous to others in your children, you are ultimately alienating them from society. The repercussions of hateful behavior will interfere with every aspect of their lives; from getting crossed off the invite list for school events and parties, to preventing children from making new friends and even take away the ability to hold down jobs as adults. Who wants to be friends or working with the bully?

As parents, it is our job to guide our children and to help them grow to their highest potential. Teaching them manners is an imperative part to parenting and it is a lot easier to do than you think.

Here are my tips on How to Raise Polite Children.

1. Lead By Example! This is a biggie. Whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, our kids watch everything we do and often want to copy us. By remembering our Please and Thank You’s and being considerate of others, your children will begin to live what they have learned naturally.
2. Start Right Away! The younger the better so that being polite is just a way of life for them.
3. Be Consistent! Consistency is key. Being polite takes practice so be sure that all adults in your child’s life are on the same page and giving the same reminders.
4. Keep it Real! They are just learning and will most likely need a bazillion reminders, so do your best not to be too hard on them. Gentle, consistent reminders will eventually sink in. Harsh screaming and yelling and punishing will only show them to act out on someone else when that person has made a mistake. Just be mindful of that.
5. Be Aware of Your Surroundings! If you are out in public somewhere or watching a show and you see someone with bad manners – take advantage of this and point it out to your little ones. Explain to them how the person could have better handled it AND point out how ridiculous the person looked being a jerk!
6. Teach Them to Give! Giving is a great way for kids to feel connected and a part of something. Find opportunities for them to donate one of their lightly used toys, or help an elderly neighbor with something. Volunteer at a charity with your children. Ask for some opportunities at school to volunteer or help out.
7. Acknowledge Those Who Serve! Everyone plays their part in our society and we all need each other. Take a sec and explain to your littles how important the janitors, the bus drivers, the nurses, the secretaries (and yes us moms and dads too!) and the food workers all are.
8. Appreciate! I like to do this at dinner and sometimes again before bed as a reminder. Everyone takes a turn talking about one thing they appreciate or are grateful for – everyday. Appreciating is an important part of learning to be polite children.
9. Give Praise! Every so often, remember to take a special second with each child and tell them how proud you are of their good manners (when they have been displaying them). Praise them for being polite children and courteous to others.

Rude, obnoxious children grow into hateful, angry adults who generally do not go far in life. By making the effort to raise polite children and teach them how to interact successfully with others, we are giving our kids the best chance at everything life has to offer.

What are your tips to raise polite children?

Malibu Mama Loves Xx

For more:

Are Your Kids Swearing?

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