Ideas for Teaching Manners to Children

  Teaching your child manners can be challenging. She might not understand fully, become defiant or resist your teachings. However, manners are a necessity in polite society, and a providing a proper learning environment can help your child grasp these ideas and become fully prepared for social situations at an early age.

Explain the Importance of Manners

   Your child should understand that manners are an important, serious part of growing up --- as well as a personal trait you value, the My Teacher Tools website counsels. To help him better understand manners, speak of them in a positive tone, rather than portraying them as an unfortunate social requirement. In addition, identifying the benefits of manners may also provide him with the incentive to be polite. This doesn't involve sweets or other tangible rewards, but rather reminding him that being polite makes people enjoy his company and want to be his friend.

Give Children Chances to Practice

   Explaining etiquette how-to is one thing, but understanding in context is another. Providing a real-life setting allows your child to see manners in action and better understand what you meant by saying, "wait for the platter to pass around the table to get your food." You can give her a real-world setting in multiple ways. Allow her to answer the phone and practice her polite communication skills. Let her set the table for a family dinner, or practice polite etiquette at a dinner with extended family or friends. Lastly, give her the chance to use her manners by ordering her own food at a nice restaurant and placing her napkin on her own lap.

Be Positive When Encountering Setbacks

   As with many things you're trying to teach, your child may not fully grasp your etiquette rules on the first try. Instead of focusing on what he did wrong, try complimenting him on any successful tries at manners. To identify his wrongdoings, the Family Education website suggesting approaching the issue in a practical, respectful way by saying, "It's a good idea to push your plate closer so that you can sit back in your chair and eat."

Be Consistent in Your Teaching

   Try not to limit your enforcement of etiquette to holidays, get-togethers or important functions. Your child needs to understand that being polite is a trait that should be applied to all people in her world. Let her know that using good manners with her siblings is as important as using them with her grandmother or your colleagues. This kind of consistency allows you to provide real-life examples of good manners in all kinds of situations.

Be a Good Role Model

   Keeping your own manners in top shape will allow your child to see etiquette in action and provide an example of proper manners. He will learn respect and politeness by observing your manners around other adults, and he will use this as a mirror for his own actions. No matter what you preach, though, your child is prone to exhibit the same manners that you do --- so be careful not to lapse into the same poor manners you advise your child against. If you do have a habit of not-so-proper eating techniques, make sure he understands that some habits are OK for home and not OK around others.