Your child’s behavior reflects on you. It has been said by some that children are like sponges, they tend to soak up everything and every influence around them. Manners are about respect and honor for self and for others. The mannerly person not only impresses others, but they are quick to commend another on their behavior. Understanding the basis of good manners will help you help your child acquire them. Gracious manners reflect a loving and considerate personality.

Source: etiquette.about.com

Follow these helpful tips for teaching your own child manners. These tips will help you teach your child good manners and raise a well mannered child.

Start with “Please,” “Thank You,” and “You’re Welcome”. The toddler concludes that “please” is how you get what you want, “thank you” is how you end an interaction and “You’re Welcome” is how to appreciate after what you did. At least you’ve planted these social niceties into your child’s vocabulary; later they will be used with the understanding that they make others feel good about helping you.

Model manners. If you want your child to model manners, you must make sure you do as well. This is definitely not an area in which you can get them to do as you say and not as you do. First step to having a mannerly child is being a mannerly parent.

Practice at home. They need a lots of practice in the fine art of social graces. Take time to engage in role playing with your son or daughter. For instance, practice how to be courteous when using the telephone.

Give your child positive reinforcement. Children love praise; especially when it comes from a parent or loved one. Very often parents respond only to their children’s undesirable behavior, ignoring their victories and positive actions completely. This choice may actually have the reverse result. Children want attention anyway they can get it-even if that means doing bad things.

Acknowledge the child. Children often times don’t realize what they are doing. For example, if you are speaking with a friend and your child interrupts you. Beg your friend’s pardon and let your child know that his or her interruption is inappropriate. Or if your child calls an adult by his or her first name, take the moment to correct him or her. Make sure you use sensitivity in these types of situations. If you have an overly sensitive child you might want to excuse yourself and speak with him or her privately.

Learn to coach. Help your child to establish social goals that will better equip him or her for daily interpersonal communication and interaction. Make a point to sit down and talk with them and listen to areas of struggle they may have when interacting with other people.

Be patient. Just as with anyone learning how to do what is right, children need time to understand how to be mannerly. Teach them the importance of respecting others’ feelings and needs and you will go a long way toward achieving this end. As they learn to listen more, speak less, esteem others and humble themselves their golden rule behavior will begin to shine forth