A well behaved child is every parent’s dream! Each one of us wants our child to be the best in every possible way. Though, perfection in every child may not be possible , not even desirable, but we can ensure that we do the best we can in order to make them an asset to the society tomorrow. Teaching manners begins at the kindergarten age or even before that. The sooner we start, the better, and practicing becomes a habit. We, as parents and mature individuals know what is best for our children and what values must be inculcated in their behavior but the common problem that most parents face is how to teach their children all these values and etiquettes.
We present below some tips for parents to inculcate manners and discipline in children:
Use Soft Tones and Nice Words
Speak Softly. Use and reuse the words Thank You, Sorry, You are Welcome, Please etc, so they get stored in the child’s memory. Refrain from shouting or saying things you wouldn’t want to hear later. Sit, stand, walk, eat, dress – the way you want your child to do all these things.
Patience and Positivity
Don’t expect children to start behaving in the manner you want, right from day one. Even after being told several times, your child might not behave in the desired manner. All you need to do is to have patience and a positive approach while persisting in your efforts. For instance, instead of telling your child “you did not thank her for ….”, you should say “we must thank people for the gift they give us. Let’s go and say thank you. The way you say it, makes all the difference!
Respect Your Child
Whatever you expect from your children, you should first demonstrate them the same thing. If you expect respect from them, you should first treat them with respect. Before pointing out their mistakes, know their point of view. In case a child misbehaves or acts difficult, try to understand what instigated such a behavior in your child and then politely explain it to him / her.
Use the words-you-want-them-to-pick more often
If you keep repeating few words and certain behavior in front of your child, they will soon start imitating you. They will learn those words and use them under similar situations just as you do. This is the simplest method of teaching your child anything.
Practice What You Preach
If you want your child to behave in a particular manner, you should do it yourself first. If you stop your child from watching TV or eating junk foods, then you must not do it yourself .Any child would want to know why he shouldn’t be doing something that others can. Give logical reasons, and do not get impatient even if you have to repeat a thousand times! Well, that’s parenting!!
Positive Comparison
Comparing your child with other children could be in two ways. If you tell your child that “so and so does this but you don’t”, it will invite negative emotions. But in a similar situation, your child may be more receptive if you tell him “let’s do this, your friends are also doing. It will be fun to do.” Negative comparisons can leave a negative effect on your child. It may create low self-esteem and lack of confidence in your little one, so always avoid it.
Teaching good manners to your kids is indeed a challenging task, but following above mentioned tips tactfully along with your love, affection and patience will make it easy for your child. Feel free to share your ideas.
