My husband and I believe we are giving our boys an advantage in life that will help them in both their personal and professional endeavours. No, it’s not a posh, private school education or even after school tuition in seven different languages. It’s as simple as reinforcing the importance of manners.
Now, before I start to sound like one of those smug mothers who melts you into inadequacy with stories of their perfect prodigies with angelic-like attitude, I just want to make it clear that we are not talking the Brady’s here. My boys do not sit at the dinner table wearing bow ties and slicked down hair saying such things as “Mother dearest, please do pass the tomato ketchup.” They forget to ask nicely quite regularly. But I do feel that emphasis on the simple niceties of life such as please, thank you and excuse me make a world of difference, reflecting respect for others which in turn breeds receptiveness and a more positive environment in which to interact and form relationships. Something that seems so often forgotten in today’s arrogant, me-first, urban environment in which so many of us find ourselves.
And what’s the best way to teach good manners? Emulate them yourself, of course, but so much easier said than done. As I snatched my change and receipt from a grumpy parking lot attendant recently, I was reminded of this fact, when a little voice from the back seat of the car said “Mummy, you forgot to say thank you.” Be careful what you wish for! I forced a grin (more like a grimace) and politely thanked the lot attendant and reminded myself that it takes constant reinforcement to make the manners message second nature. Hopefully, this will be long before peer pressure and the dramas and angst of the teenage years take hold. Puhleeze!
This post was contributed by Kate, an urbanmoms.ca member and mother of two boys 3 and 6. If you are interested in contributing a post, please send your story to email@urbanmoms.ca.
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