Blessings!!

Blessings!!
Seventeen blessings that make growing older worth the effort!!...and 2 more blessings since this picture was taken!
Welcome



Wouldn't it be wonderful if your family were the envy of all your neighborhood? Not because your family had the biggest house, the fanciest car or the very best interior decorator.

The reason isn't that you are the parents of the most beautiful children, you have a "to die for spouse" and you command a 6 figure income.

The fact of the matter is, you don't own a fancy house, your car is a CarMax reject, and your interior decorator is the local Goodwill Store.

Is all of that important? No! What is important is that your family is "The Happiest Family on the Block"!

I will be sharing our secrets that worked with our 6 children, 6 sons and daughters-in-laws and 19 grandchildren! I will share secrets and ideas that we did do and wished we hadn't, things we didn't do, but wished we had, AND things we did do and are glad we got something right!! Hindsight is 20/20 you know!

The "happy family" revolves around:

Marriage

Raising children

Faith

Schooling

Discipline

Childbirth

Hobbies- cooking, sewing, crafts, decorating

Making money

Finances

Being friends with your grown up children

Being the best grandparents you can be

Etc, etc, etc

Grab a cup of coffee, sit down, relax and let's visit!

My Darling Grandaughter

My Darling Grandaughter

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

"Excuse me", "Please", "Thank-you"

Three simple expressions and yet we don't hear them enough.... "Please", "Thank-you" and "Excuse me". Why is it so hard to teach these to our children? It really isn't, it just requires commitment and consistancy. When the children are very, very young take the time to start teaching them to say these appropriately and very often. It is amazing how fast they can learn. Yes, you will be reminding them for the next 18 years, but that is okay. Learning is not an overnight process!!
Start at a very young age. When a young toddler is reaching for a cracker or a toy, say," Johnny, say "please"." This may seem usless at this age, but believe me, it is instilling a habit into your child and it will stick! The same goes with saying "Thank-you'. It alway does my heart good when, after dinner at our house, my little 2 year old granddaughter comes to where I am sitting and says,"Gwamma, fank you for the dinner."Aww, how sweet! Yes, it is true that her parents had to remind her to say it, but it will pay off in the long run. You are teaching a child to be respectful to those who are caring for them, who have supplied their needs,or who have given them something special. They are being taught to think of others. This is also helping them to learn to be thankful to the One who created everything in this world... our God. This is something none of us can do too much of.. being thankful to the Creator of the whole universe.

Have you ever been standing with a group of people and suddenly one or more children come running right through the middle of the group? Did they say "excuse me", or go around the group? Nope, right through the very middle! Chidren need to be taught very early that this is not acceptable. If there is no other way around, they should slow down and quietly but clearly say "excuse me" and then walk, not run, through the crowd. Children should  be taught to asked to be excused when they leave the table after a meal. They should asked to be excused if they have to interrupt a conversation. Each and every time you teach these simple acts of politeness to your children, you are teaching them to respect others.

10 comments:

kcmom2four said...

I think the biggest way to teach these habits to our children is by modeling them consistently ourselves. I've noticed that not so many adults use please, thank you and excuse me like they ought to! Great post...thanks for sharing.

Happy Gramma said...

Yes, I am going to get to that...leading by example. Thanks for your input. I do appreciate it!

Rose said...

Parents do not always set an example so that children will understand the value of giving from one person to another. We need to teach our children at a young age.If we do not do this,it may take longer or never for children to grow emotionly and sensative to others.Good post.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Thank-you for the follow.
I am following you now too.
Have a great week.

GroverFamily said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! We have been working with our boys on manners. Looking forward to reading through your blog:)
http://lifewiththegrovers.blogspot.com

KayEm17 said...

A woman recently laughed when my 2 year old said thank you. She said it sounded like "taco."

To me, it sounded like the beginning of good manners so I was thankful regardless of how he pronounced it!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Be blessed.

Katie said...

We instill our habits into our children, whether or not it be good or bad. Being polite is the first thing all kids should learn, but that's not always the way that it goes. My son does say, Please & Thank you. Often gives hugs and kisses. And OFTEN asks before getting. But other times, he's definitely mischievous.

Following per Tues Tag Along. I absolutely love your blog.

Evelyn M Leon said...

Your newest follower from Tues Tag Along.

Evelyn@ http://adventureofsuperspice.com

Jill said...

It's nice to meet you :) I'm visiting via Welcome Wednesday.

I agree more parents need to instill "politeness" in their children.

I now Follow your Wonderful Blog!

Jackie said...

My husband and I have been teaching my 3 year old how to say these three things since last year. We were constantly reminding him, but lately, I've noticed he's saying these things all on his own. Well, he says "Thank You" and "Please". We're still working on "Excuse me" with him.

1 Precious Daughter, 2 precious Grandaughters

1 Precious Daughter, 2 precious Grandaughters
I am blessed!