In today’s age, it can seem like everyone is only looking out for themselves, and little to no manners exist. But that isn’t always the case, and the first step in combating these feelings is making sure your children understand the world around them. This can include proper etiquette and manners when dealing with strangers, friends, and more.
First Things First
Kids will only know what is right or wrong if they are told, or witness it firsthand, which isn’t always going to be accurate. If they see someone treat another unkindly, they may think that is the appropriate thing to do, unless otherwise told. Now more than ever, it’s important to see what your child is also seeing on a daily basis to help combat mis-information and to let them know what is and isn’t acceptable out in the real world.
Help them learn the basics, like “Please” and “Thank you” before anything else, and always be practicing that until they learn when to use it. These are the basics and can easily be left to the side if not shown by you and the people they spend the most time around. When they have mastered those two, they can start learning when to say “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry”, which are little more nuanced, and may need more guiding.
Social Media
It is too easy for kids to learn from social media on what they think are good social cues and manners. But social media is the last place for kids to learn etiquette, as most videos are made for reactions, whether good or bad. People play off of people’s emotions through their videos and want to get a rise out of others, and that can be confusing to kids. They may think they can act that way since others (who are usually older) are doing it and it seems “acceptable”. Make sure you let your children know what is actually happening and how to act in public. Kids need proper guidance on social cues and interactions to know right from wrong, and how to be polite. Starting young so your child learns early will make it a smoother transition and help them remember their manners easier too.
It may feel daunting at first, but remember that kids learn from watching you, too. If you treat others as you would like to be treated, your children will learn firsthand what the proper manners look like.
Katie Kyzivat