“Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”
To be honest, there are times my little cousins say some things and I can quickly tell where they heard/learnt it from. So, whenever I see my Aunt correcting them, I want to laugh out loud and i am tempted to tell her that they’ve heard her say exactly the same thing the other day.
Our children are generally a reflection of us. This is a scary thought. Are you saying my child’s “discourteous/bad” behaviour is from me???
Yes!!! And double Yes. Your child was born with an amazing ability to absorb information. For better or worse, she/he is soaking up everything she/he sees, feels, and hears. So teaching your child good behaviour really comes down to what you, the parent or guardian, are modelling with your own behaviour.
If you are courteous, using “please,” “you’re welcome,” “thank you” and similar phrases, your child will follow suit. So start as early as you can. Teach your children to be respectful to their parents, as well as their siblings, teachers, caregivers and friends. Teach them to say thank you and please as they interact with- the supermarket clerk, the ice cream server, the waiter, etc. With this foundation in place, you will start to notice how it begins to happen naturally, on its own (though reminders are needed from time to time lol).
“Politeness cost nothing and gains us everything.”
It is important to discuss with our children why being courteous is important. Explain the importance of treating others as you would like to be treated. If they were in the situation where they were struggling to carry a heavy load across a parking lot; wouldn’t they appreciate it if someone helped them? Yes, they would.
Remember, at the heart of courtesy is a respect for oneself and others.
Making learning about being courteous can be fun. Let your children play this game and test how courteous they are. Click here to play our courtesy game and check out our other values games at www.9ijakids.com .
