Parents generally want their children to grow up with good manners. It is among the top five things that parents want to teach their children. The other traits they want their children to have are responsibility, hard work, independence, and helping others.
When the children are well-mannered, “please” and “thank you” come naturally to them. They also pay attention in class and do not usually get into trouble in school or the playground. Well-mannered children also behave well even if no one is watching. But it’s not easy to raise well-mannered children. Some people say the temperament of the child can play a role in the way a child behaves. Some children follow the rules while others do not.
Despite this, parents can still work on raising their children properly to ensure they are well-mannered when they grow up. Here are some tips that can help parents raise well-mannered children.
Teach Them While They’re Young
It’s always a good idea to start early when teaching children how to behave. While many people find a toddler cute when he hits someone, it may not be easy to correct this behavior when they get older. Even if the toddler cannot harm anyone, it will be a different story when they become older. Parents should learn how to say no to their toddlers, especially if they are hitting another person.
But it’s also important for parents to understand why toddlers hit people. At their age, it’s not because they are mean. One reason for this behavior is that they are frustrated and do not know how to process their feelings.
Two-year-old children do not throw tantrums because they want to mess up their parent’s day. They may do this out of frustration. They may even unconsciously want to test the limits of the things they can or cannot do. Toddlers also do not know that what they did is bad.
And this is where the parents can come in. They can remove the toddler from the situation and show them options in dealing with their emotions. This can be quite challenging, especially when the toddlers are still trying to understand the world around them. But patience and understanding from the parents can help in these situations.
Consistency is the Key
Consistency is also important when parents want their children to grow up well-mannered. When they try to teach children about the things they can or cannot do, they should be consistent. If the children are not allowed to jump on the couch, the parents should consistently implement this rule.
Once the parents opt not to implement the rule, the children may become confused about the rule. This normally happens when the parents are busy with other things and may want to avoid dealing with a strong-willed child who wants to have his way.
To help parents deal with this situation, they can focus on priority behaviors that positively impact the other behaviors. They can also make tangible reminders or notes that remind them of what they should do if they act up.
Parents can also enroll their children in after-school care programs to help the children socialize with other kids. These programs also positively influence the emotional, social, and cognitive development of the children. They may also be the outlet that the children need for the things they want to do.
Be a Good Role Model
Parents have a major role to play in the development of their children. Due to this, they should set a good example for them since the children typically look up to their parents as their models for their behavior. The children normally mimic their parents’ actions. When their parents are not good role models, it will reflect on the behavior of the children. So, if the parents want their children to be well-mannered when they grow up, they should serve as good role models.
Show Them Love
Each time the children do something good, the parents focus on it and are positive about it. This allows the parents to reinforce good behavior in the children. The parents should also be loving and praise the children for the good things they did. This can encourage the children to behave properly and avoid misbehaving. It also puts the discipline the parents are imposing on the children for bad behavior into context. The children will gradually see the difference between good and bad behavior.
Raising well-mannered children is not easy, especially with the current situation in the country. But parents can overcome these challenges if they focus on the good side of discipline and become good role models for their children.
