"I did not raise you to act that way," was one of my mother's favorite lines. Sometimes when we were kids, my brothers would do something disgusting just to get her to say that very sentence. My mother was raised as an only child. Her parents were older and demanded mannerly behavior. She was in for a big surprise when she became the mother of 3 kids who were a bit spirited. Manners were something that she had to teach us.
Sue Shellenbarger wrote a blog today about teaching your kids manners. She even quotes from a physician who blogs," Making Room for Miss Manners is a Parenting Basic." Yeah!! I am a huge fan of teaching kids manners. Not that I have much luck with my own kids. I am constantly going behind someone and flushing the toilet or asking someone to use a napkin-- but I try!!
Apparently, according to Shellenbarger, teaching kids manners is back in style!! I think my 25 year old is starting to realize the value of manners -- finally. As a recruiter for a local company she meets with professors and others who may help her to find new hires. Hopefully she uses her napkin and the right fork at lunch.
My personal pet peeve is when my son does not respond or does not look an adult in the eye when he is spoken to. Drives me nuts --- I really don't think he is deliberately trying to be rude --but he sure looks rude! I don't want to raise Eddie Haskell, (you know the insincere suck-up from the Leave it to Beaver Show), but I don't want a kid who doesn't feel obligated to make the effort to be mannerly and respectful.
Mostly, I think much of what kids learn about how to treat others is learned from the way we, as parents, act. We are their role models. But I think kids also need parents to talk with them about appropriate ways to act and give them scripts.
How do you feel about teaching kids manners? Tell me your stories.
