It will be a delight to hear your child often say “thank you”, “sorry” and “please.” You will also help your child gain more friends and become easy to get along with if he/she is always polite and mindful of others’ feelings.
How can I teach my child to be polite
However, getting there requires some time, practice and consistency. This also requires patience from you as a parent because your child will surely make mistakes here and there. And remember, learning the right manners is actually a lifelong process. What matters then is your patience and consistency in encouraging your child to be polite and respectful.
But first, where do you start? First, your child has to often hear the words “thank you”, “sorry” and “please.” Keep in mind that children are still developing their basic vocabulary and trying to pronounce words and phrases. Repetition is the key here as with any other skill. For example, you should start by saying “thank you” and letting your child repeat the phrase until it becomes second-nature to him/her.
It’s also great to let your child say the words after receiving or doing something. For example, you can say “What should you say after receiving a gift?” or “You hurt here, what will you say then?” This is crucial for your child to form the necessary associations. He/she should automatically associate receiving a gift with saying thank you and doing something wrong with saying sorry.
At age 2, it’s expected that your child will automatically be polite. Also expect though that a few mistakes will happen and sometimes he/she will forget to say the words. Keep in mind that even we adults forget our manners a few times. What matters is that your child is polite most of the time and he/she is easy to get along with. This way, your child will make more friends and will have a great time because other children will prefer being with him/her. Also, you will be proud that your child learns to be polite and respectful at a very young age.
