There is no time like the present to start teaching your toddler about appropriate manners. Teaching them how to be considerate and polite will help them form good manners and grow more socially attentive. Polite and courteous children reduce stress in parents who worry about their behavior in public. Here are some tips on how to teach your little one appropriate manners.
Be a Role Model
Teaching good behavior starts at home. You must be the role model you want your child to see. They are always watching you and using the words they hear you use. Start the process by changing how you present yourself to your child. Use words such as “please” and “thank you” when interacting with your child, spouse, and others. Replace words such as “get me” or “give me” to more appropriate words such as “May I” or “please may I have.” It might take a bit getting used to but it will be well worth the effort.
Model Appropriate Table Manners
Meal time is a time for the whole family to sit down and interact with one another. Sit down with your child at the table and use the appropriate table manners. Encourage your child to keep their elbows off the table and explain to them why. Also, discuss why no one should talk with a mouth full of food. Use words such as “please pass the bread” or “may I have some more, please.” Continue to do this every time you sit down at the table and encourage other family members to do the same in front of your toddler.
Sharing with Others
Because your child is at the age they will be interacting and playing with other children, they need to know how to share. Start teaching them about sharing by making the situation appealing to them. Take turn playing with a toy together. After their time is up, ask nicely to play with the toy. Then ask them to do the same when it is your time. Continue to do this and watch how they later interact with other children their age.
Don’t Delay the Process
Even if you think your little one is not quite grasping the concept, do not stop with the process. Your toddler is absorbing everything you say and do. It is just taking them a while to process all the information. Consider role-playing good manners using puppets, action figures, and dolls. Allow them to be the parent and you can also act as a child to see how they will handle the situation.
Gratitude and Politeness
Teach your toddler when to correctly use words such as, “thank you”, “you’re welcome”, and “please”. You can do this by using the words correctly yourself in front of the toddler. Everyone likes to be thanked for the things they do for others. Children feel better about themselves when they express their appreciation for things given to them or done for them. They will also develop a sense of empathy when they become aware that those around them are going out of their way to do nice things for them. People are most likely to admire others who appear gracious and thoughtful.
Continue the Process
As your child grows older, continue to practice acceptable manners in front of the toddler. After a while, the little reminders will not be needed. As they reach the next maturing stage, they will remember the appropriate manners taught to them.
Remember to always award and acknowledge when your toddler uses proper manners. Try catching them being well-behaved as opposed to engaging in bad behavior. If they are constantly reprimanded for bad manners, chances are they will continue to repeat the behavior for attention.
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