Even though my nephew is a bit of a wild child (he’s only two), he still knows to tell people “please,” and “thank you.” Right now, we’re working on teaching him to say “excuse me.” He’s also picked up the habit of saying a certain bad word that we’re desperately trying to get rid of, haha. Of course, the number one way to teach your kid good manners is by modeling them yourself. Don’t curse around them, always say please and thank you, help others in need, hold doors for people, and show good table manners. Kids will mimic whatever you show them- good or bad. Check out this post by Sarah Titus at the Sarah Titus blog for more manners to teach your child:
-Don’t interrupt others when they are talking
-Don’t comment on others’ physical appearance unless giving a compliment
-Don’t call people mean names, curse, or tease others
-Pick up after yourself, especially at others’ houses.
-Knock on doors before entering
-Say sorry if you bump into someone, or make a mistake
I love playing outside with my super active nephew. He likes to run, a lot. Fortunately, my parents have a HUGE front yard (about an acre of space) before the road, so he has plenty of room to run without causing alarm. However, he’s also two and a half years old, which is not the best age for following directions. That’s why it can be scary when he breaks loose, since screaming at him to stop usually has no effect. He behaves in parking lots and when crossing the road with an adult, but he’s pretty much a wild child when he’s playing. So, I was pretty relieved when I found
If you’ve read anything I’ve ever written on this blog, you know I’m a huge proponent of parents educating their own children, in addition to the time they spend in school. If your child is on summer break right now, or if they are too young for school, it’s important to begin and continue their education in a fun way at home.
Next week is back to school time for the kids in my area, and parents everywhere are rejoicing. However, as much work as you do during the summer with your kids, school presents its own set of chores. I honestly feel sorry for all the trouble I put my mom through back when she was trying to wake me up for school and get me out the door in time, haha.
When your kids first start going to school, there’s a lot of emotions involved for everyone. Your kids are going to be excited to meet new friends, happy to learn and play, nervous about being home, and maybe even a tiny bit scared. Parents will experience a mixture of relief, and maybe a little bit of sadness. That’s why it’s important to talk about these emotions together, and focus any negative or jittery energy in a positive way. One way to do this is by having a fun “first day of school” tradition in your family.
I’m not a mom myself, but I am an aunt. And I lived with and raised my nephew for two years, so I’ve seen it all. And I know there are days where just NOTHING goes right. Maybe your kid is extra cranky, or sick, or YOU’RE sick and cranky, or the cable is out, or you burned dinner, or work ran late and you had to pick them up late from daycare. Or maybe all of those things happened on one EXTRA crappy day. We’ve all been there, and it’s okay. Bad days happen, and it’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay if your kids skipped their bath and wore dirty clothes all day and had cereal for dinner. It’s not the end of the world. They’re still alive, and so are you.