As my boys get older, I continue to try to teach them good manners. Clearly, I am not doing a bang up job, based on my 7-year old’s ass-backwards interpretation of The Golden Rule.
I always tell them, “If you go to a friend’s house, be very polite. Then you’ll get invited back.” Some of the kids my kids have over for play dates are really polite and nice. Others, not so much. I don’t know about you, but the impolite pains in the butts tend not to get a repeat invitation to my house.
Play dates aside, I’d like my kids to be nice, respectful people who behave appropriately (as much as 7- and 9-year old boys can).
Though my efforts are often in vain, these are my rules for how they should act in life:
- Say “please” and “thank you” – ALWAYS!
- Share. And maybe, just maybe, someone will share something you one day.
- Open doors for women and girls — even the heavy ones (doors, that is).
- Say “bless you” when somebody sneezes. (Oh yeah… and for crying out loud, cover your own mouth when you sneeze!)
- Respond when someone (particularly and adult) speaks to you. And make eye contact. Grunts and one-word answers while staring at the ground are not acceptable.
- Dress nice for church. And no… stain-free sweats are not considered dressing up!
- Call an adult by his or her last name (unless otherwise specified by the adult).
- Say “excuse me” when you burp, when you want to speak, or when somebody is in your way.
- Be nice to girls, even though they’re yucky.
- Say you’re sorry when you do something wrong. Once in a while, things are your fault!
I figure if I pound it into their heads enough, they’ll get it by the time they’re grown and no longer immature. Lofty goals? HELL YEAH! But that’s why I keep wine in the house – to take the edge off!
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Love this! We try so hard to get our boys to hold doors, respond when spoken to, and share. There are so many things that are so hard for boys to get through their heads. I always just hope that they save the potty talk for home and don’t do it in front of anyone else’s mother, because the boys I dread having over are the ones who talk like that! I was so pleased the other day when my 8 year-old went to someone’s house for a playdate, and the mom brought him home raving about how sweet he was to include her son’s little sister in what they were playing. It’s what you hope they will do, but nice to hear it actually made it into action!
That’s so great! Hearing that your child behaved when you weren’t there to force him to is a wonderful thing! I am always SO concerned about what they do when I’m not around. I have friends who have girls who seem to be so sweet and well behaved. Then there are my kids who burp just so they can make the people around them laugh. I just can’t imagine girls doing the same thing.
3.Open doors for women and girls — even the heavy ones (doors, that is).
I think they should open doors for the heavy girls too.
This is great. You have a very together list. My ettiquette lessons go more like, “stop acting like animals!” I would really for my kids chose to use silverware instead of picking everything up with their fingers. I don’t ask much really.
That’s so funny. And same here! I say to my kids on a regular basis, “Use a fork. You’re not a dog!” Seriously, are girls like this? I would tend to doubt it.
my 7 yo girl is the WORST!
p.s. As for the Liebster award I’m torn between whether it qualifies as a “chain letter” or good blogging networking so I won’t be offended if you choose not to do anything with it.
Well, if for nothing else, it gets other blog names out there. Because of it, I checked out the other ones you nominated and I “Liked” them. So, it served a purpose! Either way, thank you for thinking of me!