Five Manners Essential to Your Child’s Success

Arden Clise shared these tips with us on Kids and Manners during this week Live Webcast.

Five Manners Essential to Your Child’s Success

by: Arden Clise

1. Good table manners.

· Chew with their mouths closed and chew quietly.

· Wait to eat until everyone has been served.

· Put their napkin on their lap and to use it to wipe their mouth but never to blow their nose.

· Don’t eat with their fingers unless they are too young to use utensils.

· Teach them how to use their utensils properly.

2. Introduce themselves and others.

· Introduce themselves if not introduced

· When introducing two people say the name of the older person or person with a title first and say the name of the younger person or person without a title second. Example: “Coach Ball this is my friend Mary Smith.”

3. Conversation skills.

· Listen, don’t interrupt

· Not a monologue.

· Don’t just wait to talk.

· As parent, reinforce listening skills. Put Blackberry down. Be a good role model.

4. Write thank you notes.

· Kids need to be reminded and prompted.

A few TY note pointers to help:

1. Have a supply of note cards on hand.

2. Send the card within 48 hours so that feelings are still fresh

3. Follow this format for thank you notes:

a. Say thank you for the gift or whatever it is you received.

b. Let the giver know what you plan to do with it or have done with it.

c. Tell the person how much you like the gift or why you are so happy with it

d. If your child didn’t like the gift or received a duplicate have them say something about how thoughtful it was of the giver to give them a gift.

5. Be nice and courteous to others.

· Respect differences

· Be kind to others and don’t intentionally hurt people.

· Say please and thank you.

· Help others – hold doors, help coach put equipment away, visit friend in hospital

· Look for the positive – give sincere compliment

Modern Manners for Modern Children class, March 5, 11am to 1pm, Bothell, WA. For more information go to http://www.cliseetiquette.com/events/