“Because Etiquette Matters”

Manners for Kids

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How elp
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22 Manner Cards to Help You Teach Etiquette

 Good Manners Table of Contents

Cheatsheet of manners

Manners poem for reciting, memorizing, and copywork

George Washington Rules of civility for discussion and

copywork

Manners Cards

22 Good Manner Cards for Daily Practice (one a day)

ABetterWaytoHomeschool.com
 Good Manners Cheatsheet

Please and Thank you ❏ Accepting a gift ❏

Greet people by name ❏ Accepting a gift you don’t

❏
like

When you forget someone’s

❏
name Saying goodbye to company ❏

Eye contact ❏ Text messaging ❏

Saying, “hello” ❏ People above technology ❏

More than “thank you” ❏ What to keep off the table ❏

Waiting for answers ❏ Seeing the people around

❏
them

Offering to help ❏
Glass and Windows ❏

Elbows and napkins at table ❏

Gentle Hands ❏

Asking for something at the

❏ Eat off own plate and the “no
table ❏
thank you” bite

Getting up from the table ❏ House rules ❏

ABetterWaytoHomeschool.com
 A Little Manners Poem
Anonymous

Wait your turn—don’t interrupt.

If you use it, pick it up.

When you need some help, say “Please.”

Be kind and loving—never tease.

Say “Hi” when meeting someone new,

and be a friend whose words are true.

If you win a game, don’t gloat.

To thank someone, write a note.

Don’t be piggy when you eat.

And clean your space so it looks neat.

These manners are the perfect start

to showing friends you have a heart!

ABetterWaytoHomeschool.com
 Rules of Civility
Memorized by George Washington
(Spelling errors intentional)

Rule # 2
When in Company, put not your Hands to any Part of the Body, not usually
Discovered.

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Rule # 4
In the Presence of Others Sing not to yourself with a humming Noise, nor Drum
with your Fingers or Feet.

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Rule # 11
Shift not yourself in the Sight of others nor Gnaw your nails.

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ABetterWaytoHomeschool.com
 Rules of Civility
Memorized by George Washington
(Spelling errors intentional)

Rule # 28
If any one come to Speak to you while you are are Sitting Stand up…

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Rule # 38
In visiting the Sick, do not Presently play the Physicion if you be not Knowing
therein.

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Rule # 89
Speak not Evil of the absent for it is unjust.

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ABetterWaytoHomeschool.com
Greet by Name
Greet someone by their name if you know it and
ask them if you don’t.
Greeting someone by name is a sign of respect.
It also indicates that the person is valued.
Because of this, teach children to always greet an
adult by the requested name or ask if they don’t
know it.
How to help your kids.
~Practice this at home, especially before you are going anywhere
to be around people.

Everyone Forgets
Don’t ever be afraid to ask again if you have forgotten:
People understand that sometimes you forget names.

How to help your kids:

~Teach them to always greet others by their
name.
~Practice forgetting at home and teaching them
to say “I am so sorry, I can’t remember you
name, could you please remind me.”
~Practice. Practice is key.
Eye Contact
Always look them in the eye.

Looking someone in the eye when you

are talking with that person is a good
rule for everyone, not just children.

Now, you don't have to have a staring contest, but that's fun
too:)

How to help Your Kids ~practice

Hello +
Add something positive to a "hello"

“It’s nice to see you.”

“I was hoping to see you today"
This allows your child to show the other person
they are valued.
How to help your Kids
~ Take turns role playing.
~First you be the adult, then give them a chance to pretend
~Let them “catch you” forgetting while you practice.
Beyond Thanks
“Thanks for having me:”

Whether at parties, playdates, Vacation Bible

School, child care or Grandma’s house, you
should teach your child to thank the person
for inviting them, having them over, or taking
care of them.

They will be going two steps beyond a simple thank-you as a result.

...wait...
Teach kids to ask, “How are you?” ...and wait for
the answer…
Being a good listener is one of the most important
skills you can teach your child.

How to help your Kids

~When you practice, wait a few extra second
longer than comfortable to answer.
Stop and Look
Be aware- Stop and Look
Kids are blissfully unaware of their surroundings.
They will be perfectly still one minute, they suddenly
shout "Tag you're it!" and run.
Teach kids to look at their surroundings. Are there
any hazards?
Are there babies and elderly? If they were to suddenly yell or run, is
there anyone that would be startled or potentially hurt?
When Our kids were little, we would have the pre-talk when we
arrived anywhere.
What kinds of things would be ok, not ok here?

Don’t touch glass

Hands off the glass (Lips too)
This may seem silly, but it honors those who
need to keep it clean. Teach your kids to "not
touch the glass" at home, at the homes of friends,
and in public.

Use handles.
Seems simple, but it needs to be taught.
Older kids should be required to clean the windows, especially if their
physical lips line up to the marks on the window.
just sayin'
Gentle Hands
Don’t grab
When your kids grab things, gently taking
them back and start over… again and again.

Not only is it an important etiquette rule, but a

safety issue.
If your child is a grabber, take back what he or she grabbed but do so
gently, then nicely hand it to them again.
Do this until your child knows that it is never acceptable to grab from
anyone.

Eat Off Own Plate

Eating off of someone else’s plate – even Mom’s –
isn’t a good idea

Teach your kids, even babies, to politely ask for

more.

Did you know you can teach babies sign language?

Babies can communicate without whining long before they can say the
words!
For baby sign/helps visit-
http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/first-signs/
 House Rules
Don’t forget house rules

Especially when you’re away from home!

While it may be fine in your home to "ask to
be excused" after they are done eating, what
about when you visit a friend's home?

Teach your kids to ask, "what are your house rules?

No-Thank You Bite

The No-Thank-You Bite

Everyone has food that they don't care for.

"YUCK!" or "Disgusting!" is never ok to say.
Instead, teach your kids to take a
no-thank-you-bite of something to be respectful.
Let them know that afterward, it is okay to politely say, “I am sorry, I don’t
really care for….,” or “…is not my favorite.”

~Practice with food they like, tolerate, and HATE

Can I Help?
“How can I help you?”

Not just for mealtime, this is a great all-around

skill. It is especially polite, before or after
being fed, to offer to help set or clear the table
or dry the dishes.

A Better question is, "What can I do to help?"

Or my favorite comment, "Put me to work!"

~Mama, practice saying, “yes”

Elbows and Napkin

Napkin in your lap/elbows off the table… usually

Since children don’t always know what

the house rules will be, teaching them to
do these things will ensure they always
err on the side of caution.
Please Pass the __
Don’t reach across the table
Reaching across people to retrieve
something out of reach is not just about
etiquette.

Every parent knows the frustration of a glass getting

knocked over and spilling across the dinner table.
Politely asking for something to be passed can avoid hot
coffee in someone’s lap, and that makes everyone happy.

Excuse Me...
Excused from the table
Teaches kids that they are not the center of
the universe, but a part of one.

As soon as your child can speak, you should begin introducing him or
her to the concept of excusing oneself from the table.
This is not just at the end of the meal either; it applies every time your
child needs to leave the table.

Remember, the best way to teach manners is to role play!

 “Thank you…”
Thank you is always appropriate
Make Eye contact
Say thank you
Add one nice comment

Magic.

Don’t like it?

Find one nice thing to say about a gift.
Never say:
“I already have this”
“I didn’t want this”
Nope! Just say thank you and add one nice comment about
it.
Practice this at playtime. Give a gift, and have your child look at you
and say 'thank you' and then add one nice thing, like "I can't wait to
play this game!" or "I love the color."
Eye contact, thank you, plus one nice thing. Magic.
Thanks for Coming!
Thank you for coming
After having a friend, or family over,
make sure your child walks them to the
door and says "thank you for coming".
"It was wonderful to see you". or "I hope
we get to do this again". work great too!

We have a family tradition that we stand and wave until the

car is out of site. Kids love it:)

Before typing
Mind your words: especial written ones

Make sure your children understand

that words can hurt.

It seems harmless to say a cruel

thing across the internet, but it's not. It's easy to get caught up
in a moment and to let your fingers fly in response.

If your kids use tech to communicate, teach them to pause.

 People First
Put your phone away in social situations

People always come first.

Teach kids to focus on one thing, rather

than multi-task.

Take the advice one step further and put your own phone down so
that you can be present with your children. (Tell them you are
practicing)

On the table?
What to Keep off the Table
Anything not related to eating: toys, phones,
purses, pets.

This includes snuggly blankets, favorite

dinosaurs, and mom’s smartphone.

Make this a no exception rule and there won’t be an issue.

Play I spy when you're out to eat.

~How many people break this rule? How would you handle it if
they were at your table?
 copyright Rebekah Sayler @ A Better Way to Homeschool 2019

It is my sincere hope that you not only found this product useful.
If you have any questions regarding this product, please do not hesitate to contact me at
[email protected]

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