The topic for this week on Homeschool Village is, ” Ladies and Gentlemen – what practical teaching methods/exercises are you using to teach etiquette and manners?”
When I first saw the topic, I got concerned. I have never used any sort of book to teach my children etiquette or manners, other than the Bible. Being raised in the South, I was taught from the beginning to say “yes, ma’am”, “no, ma’am”, “yes, sir” and so forth. I was taught to respect authority and be polite. I was also taught that the Bible says to “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”, Matthew 7:12. So, I just automatically started working with my children from a very young age to do the same.
I have always tried to be a good example to my children when it comes to manners. I feel like children learn better if you lead by example. Have I always acted like I am supposed to? No! We all make mistakes. That is when the real lesson comes into play. You need to correct what you did wrong and show your children that mistakes do happen and it is important to correct the mistakes as soon as possible.
I know there are many resources out there I could use. Many books have been published on the subject as well as websites. I may try to find a proper etiquette book to use with my children. I look forward to reading what other homeschooling moms do to teach their children etiquette and manners. Won’t you join us at the Homeschool Village Facebook page?