Hey there!
Are you ready for spring? I sure am! Good to be with you again.
This time of year is perfect for taking a nice big PAUSE, LETTING GO of things that have served their purpose, and PREPARING for what’s next.
This April, our Weekly Sizzles are focused on MANNERS.
Helping our kiddos brush up on their manners is a very ‘pre-spring’ kind of thing to do.
We PAUSE to assess how things are going.
We help our kiddos LET GO of bad habits.
And all this care and tending helps our kiddos become more PREPARED for successful relationships.
In case you missed it, last week’s Sizzle looked at the reasons why teaching manners is critical.
This week, we’re talking about five basic manners that kids should know.
1. Say please and thank you. These fundamental building blocks of good manners express gratitude and show consideration for others.
2. Make introductions. Introducing yourself to people who come visit, introducing friends to each other, and saying goodbye when you part shows care for others and helps build relationships.
A simple introduction works well, like:
“Hi, I’m JuliAnn. What’s your name?”
(They say their name.)
“Nice to meet you, [their name]. How are you?”
(Then listen and respond.)
3. Smile and have a good attitude. You will be someone others want to have around, and you will feel better too!
4. Make eye contact. This is a good way to show respect in Western cultures, especially during greetings and when someone is talking. However, it’s important to note that some people struggle with eye contact and other cultures don’t consider holding eye contact acceptable, so it’s helpful to teach kids that not everyone will hold eye contact and not to take it personally.
5. Ask questions of others. This shows care and interest for others, and is important for friendships.
It was hard for me to keep this list down to five, which is why we’re looking at table manners and digital etiquette later this month.
Do you think families need to work on manners? I’d love to know your thoughts and stories!
See ya soon!
