I felt embarrassed! Yes, I did when my son did not greet the guests when asked to do so. Did the whole effort of teaching children social manners and raising a well-mannered child go vain?
One of the essential roles we have as parents is to assist our children in developing social skills, demonstrating how to interact with others pleasantly, and teaching them to respect others. Teaching children social manners is more important than ever in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment.
As responsible parents, here are some great ways to teach good social manners to children.
7 Tips for Teaching Children Social Manners
1. Greet people well
Say ‘Hello’ with a smile. When meeting new people, teach your child to maintain eye contact, and greet. Practicing this with your child while role-playing is an excellent method to teach them.
2. Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’
This is one of the basic rules of etiquette. Children should be taught to express gratitude for gifts they receive; however, they should also be taught to express gratitude to those who assist or serve them, such as waiters in restaurants or even their parents, when they help with something. Encourage children to write thank-you notes to practice gratitude.
Recommended reading: Top 12 Books to Teach Your Child Good Manners
Recommended reading: Raising Polite and Respectful Kids: A Guide to Teaching Good Manners
3. Good table manners
Good table manners never go unnoticed. Kids can practice basic good manners like avoiding chewing with a full mouth or waiting to eat until everyone has been served. Kids should assist in table setting and clearing the dinner table. They must avoid watching television, using gadgets, or mobile phones while eating food.
4. Model good behavior
To teach social manners to kids, tell them ‘why’ it is important. Simply asking them to follow some rules is not enough. Teach them to look beyond their own requirements and consider how they can help someone in need. Parents need to model good behavior themselves for the kids to follow. Use polite words, practice empathy, and kindness.
5. Teach sportsman spirit
Winning is important but losing is necessary. Allow kids to lose at competitions so that they learn the value of winning. Shaking hands, assisting an opponent who has fallen, encouraging everyone, cheering, clapping, and being polite to everyone, including teammates, opponents, parents, and seniors, are all examples of excellent sportsmanship.
6. Choose friends wisely
Your company matters. Even though kids choose their friends as per liking, it is still important for parents to guide them in choosing the right ones. Having a best friend is a good idea but being completely dependent on one friend isn’t healthy for the holistic development of your child. Children must learn to be a part of diverse surroundings and people.
Recommended reading: What To Do When You Don’t Like Your Child’s Friend
7. Age-appropriate expectations
Take one step at a time. Do not expect the child to learn everything at one go. Expectations should be in sync with the child’s age and developmental level. Your toddler may feel overwhelmed if you ask him to learn too much at once. Lessons learnt earlier should be practiced often to ensure that your child remembers how to apply them.
Conclusion: Teaching Children Social Manners
Remember that you are the one who sets the bar. If you text at the dinner table or rudely speak to others regularly, your child will pick up on these behaviors and will most likely imitate them. If you want to raise a well-behaved child, the first thing you should do as a parent is to examine your own conduct to ensure that you continuously display excellent social manners.
