Manners please

How many times today have I said, 'and what do you say...?' or 'where are your manners?'? I lose count. Please and Thank you. We teach them early, and they are such beautiful words to hear, they change the whole sentiment behind a sentence and yet they just don't seem to stick in a four year old and a two year old's mind.

'Get me a drink mummy'. 'I need something to eat mummy'.

I beg your pardon??. Please get me a drink.

Ok, ideally it would be 'please may I have a drink', but let's not get ambitious.

Manners are so important, and yet they don't come naturally. We are going through a phase of really having to work on it at the moment and sometimes I despair.

Do they not realise the power of these words? They make mum feel less like a slave. They make us feel proud. They make other kids' parents think how nice and polite your child is, they turn bossiness into reasonableness, they get a positive response and make everyone feel good.

We were at a sausage sizzle at the weekend and one dad asked his other half if she'd like a sausage. She said yes and a few minutes later he brought back the sausage with all the trimmings. Not a word of thanks. My instinct was to say 'and what do you say?', but I guess some adults lose their manners on occasions, and the familiarity between a couple probably allows this. Had it been me providing the sausage, I'm sure the thanks would have been there.

So we have to remember to be good role models, and I think in our household we generally are. Probably over the top at times, but we've just got to persevere.

On Sunday evening, Holly was having a treat which she spontaneously broke in two. 'Would you like a piece of chocolate?', she said to Michael. 'Yes please' he said. And 'Thank you', he said as it was handed over. 'You're welcome', said Holly, and we applauded. Perhaps the message is finally getting through.