4 Resources for Teaching Our Kids Good Manners

Recently a friend of mine said to me, "Hey, if my kids are demanding or not using their manners, I need to know about it."  She was especially referring to when she's not around.  I quickly joined in.  I like that idea.  If my kids are being demanding and not using polite language when they are out-and-about, I need to know about that.

But it made me think more about whether I'm teaching them those manners at home.  Kids don't just all the sudden know how to say please and thank you. If left to their own devices, they are more likely to demand a cookie, run through the doorway (not holding it open for those behind them), and whine when something doesn't go their way. My kids tend to be decent in public, but I could certainly be more deliberate about teaching them how we interact with the world. All my kids are at an age now where they would benefit from me seriously setting aside some time for this.

Since I'm clearly not an expert in this field, I've gathered up some links and resources.  Here's what I found that I like.

Teaching Manners--It Still Matters: How to Teach Good Manners 
This is a link to an article from the magazine Parenting, in which the author looks at the stages of our kids and talks about what's appropriate and reasonable for them at each age.  She has done her research and has great suggestions. Click on the link and it will take you there. 

How cute is this?  My kids are usually game for a match-it-up.  Even if they groan a little, this will be a great way for us to start this conversation and all get onto the same page.  You can find this printable at Enchanted Yankee.  Go to that link and follow her instructions.  Easy peezy!

This next link is to Teach Mama, where she shares an approach to rewarding kids for catching them in the act.  It's pretty simple and cute and might be just the thing to get your kiddos in the habit of being polite!

Last up I found a printable that was a great reminder for me about all the various social situations I need to prepare my children for.  

To get this printable go to In Between Laundry. Other sites have posted similar ideas, but I can't get those to function properly. In Between Laundry made a printable and is offering it for free.  

There are really tons of suggestions out there, but I think this is a good start.  Again, don't make this harder than it needs to be.  Talk to your kids and find teachable moments.  And don't get frustrated.  They will catch on eventually if you stay consistent and reasonable!  But like most things, if you don't have a plan, it's probably not going to happen. 

Do you have any suggestions for teaching our kids to be polite?