11th Mindful Monday Word-Manners
Graphic by Joni
Manners are heard by using polite words and they are seen through acts of good manners and good mannerisms. What are some Good Manners?
When you use polite words like please and thank you
When you smile at people and say good morning or greet them with polite words
Say excuse me if you bump into someone or if your burp or toot
Should you hurt someone physically by bumping into them, say you’re sorry or if you hurt someones feelings, say you’re sorry
Cover your mouth when you cough and when you yawn
Don’t interrupt when others are talking
Knock on a door before you walk in, this could be a bathroom door, bedroom or the door to go into a home
Hold a door open for the next person to come through
Should someone you know drop something, offer to pick it up
Ask to be excused from the dinner table, use polite words like, “May I be excused?”
Manners Monkey is one of the nine Characters of Character and teaches and reinforces good manners in our children. Children model our behaviors, so, it’s important to be a role model yourself. Use polite words and polite actions and your child is going to learn from you. I can remember years ago as my mother walked into a store in a small community, there was a young man who just walked through the door and he did not even hold it open for her. This upset me, it’s such a simple act of kindness, respect and good manners. I often wondered who his role model was. I taught preschool for many years and our young children want to learn, they pick up what we teach them like little sponges. Let’s try our best to teach them well.
I was able to bring our character to a local Library just a few years ago, we read Let’s Have Manners, talked about what it means to have good manners, what it might sound like and look like and how it makes you feel when you do use them. I wrote down on the board all the polite words that the children shared and then we proceeded to go to tables where the children and youth were going to paint Manners Monkey on canvas to bring home and have as a visual reminder, to use good manners. Two interesting things happened that night, one was a young boy, probably about ten years old. I could tell he was not happy to be in the class. All the parents stayed and in the class to wait for their child. Some painted with their younger children, it was a fun way to engage together and learn together. I said to him, “you don’t look very happy to be here tonight”? and he replied, “I’m not, I don’t like to paint” and I assured him that if he didn’t want to, that would be fine, and asked him if he would at least just come to the table and let’s give it try. He agreed to. He left me a note on the paper plate which we used as our paint palet, you can see below: It reads as follows: I DID NOT WANT TO PAINT
Well, low and behold, he completed his canvas, I acknowledged his great accomplishment and good work, and he walked away with a huge smile on his face. Sometimes we need to be patient, and at least encourage our children to try new projects. This was a huge win in my book. That is the first one, I promised you two. The second one was from a mom who had brought her daughter, about the age of 8 to the class. When I got home that evening, I had an email from the mom thanking me for coming to class that night. Her daughter enjoyed the class and wanted to learn more about manners. As a matter of fact, she asked her mom what some polite words were in her native language. What a fun way to teach your children and reinforce good manners right at home!
Having good manners is vital in our core values. Manners Monkey has a Resource Book available on Amazon here which you can use as a workbook or print out for many activities and lessons to reinforce and teach this trait to your child. There is also a Bulletin Board and Poster Book available on Amazon and other online stores which is engaging and adds a lot of visual reminders to your children and students. A fun way to introduce the character, Manners Monkey is through our social story, Let’s Have Manners available on line, too. Characters of Character has a YouTube Chanel with plenty of lessons and activities for you to do with your own children. We hope you’ll empower them in some good character and help to build a firm foundation to grow upon.
Graphic by Jen Downey
