Teaching good behavioural habits

Hi Mommies,

Since what age should we start teaching our kids good behavioural habits. The simple ones like: hello, bye, thank you, etc. I tend to try to teach these words now and even before my kids where one year old. Am I exagerating?

Thanks for sharing your experience or opinion.

 

I think it is never too early to start but the best way for them to learn (in my opinion) is to see you do it. Mine have learned please and thank you, hi, bye, how are you, etc. because they hear and see DH and I do those same things. We are working on saying thank you for gifts...mine will say thank you for other things but not gifts (yet)/

 

I agree that it's never too early to model good behavior, even though it might be a while before you see it in action. For example, I tell my boys "say please" when they're asking for something; I've been doing this for months, and they will now sign and say it (though I still usually have to prompt them ). I also make them sign "sorry" when they hit their brother or me. That one hasn't really sunk in yet, but I have high hopes! :lol:

It's funny that you brought this up just now. Last night after dinner, I asked the boys "who wants cookies?", and I raised my hand and said "me, me, me!". So of course they copied me and started raising their hands saying, "me, me, me!". I had the terrible realization that although this was really cute now, I definitely don't want my boys shouting, "me, me, me" when they want something! So I changed it to "yes, please!" and am going to use this whenever I ask them if they want cookies.

 

[quote name='Nate and Jack's Mom' date='08 April 2010 - 04:36 PM' timestamp='1270733788' post='1614795']
It's funny that you brought this up just now. Last night after dinner, I asked the boys "who wants cookies?", and I raised my hand and said "me, me, me!". So of course they copied me and started raising their hands saying, "me, me, me!". I had the terrible realization that although this was really cute now, I definitely don't want my boys shouting, "me, me, me" when they want something! So I changed it to "yes, please!" and am going to use this whenever I ask them if they want cookies.
[/quote]

Exactly, I feel now that I have to watch out my behaviours and words with the kids. It's not that I am impolite, far from this, but I want them to learn good habits now that they are in the age where it's easy to teach them anything. because I believe that the older they get the more difficult it will be to teach them good habits. So better start from that early age :babyflips:

 

I totally agree that it's never too early and they learn it from watching you. I have one that says please all the time and the other that signs please but won't say it. Either way works for me and I love when they catch me off guard with the nice thank you or even sharing nicely.

 

we're working on most of those... they get the "please" b/c we don't give them something - even more food unless they sign or say please. Bye Bye is a great one too! though sometimes they say it and it sounds rude, like they want the person to leave -pretty cute! I'd say, start teaching them, and hopefully they'll catch on quicker than our two.

I am quite proud that ours have finally caught on to praying before meals... well, not that they wouldn't eat before praying, but they will fold their hands and attempt a 'dear Jesus'... very cute. I think everything is teachable with time. they've really caught on to so much more since 18 or 20 months.

we need to work on Sorry!

 

I feel bad, but often I remind my DH (nicely, of course) to say "Please" when asking me or one of the kids for something. I totally believe in modeling behavior!! Now, I've seen my DS say "thank you" all the time, usually without even thinking about it. That's what I want!! Good habits!!

 

DD thinks everything in our house is called "thank you" because whenever she hands me something (toy, cup, food, shoe) I say "thank you!" It's really cute now how she'll hand me something and say "dink doo." They're little sponges and I don't think it's ever too early to start modeling good manners.

 

i agree with everyone else - do it yourself, and they'll pick up on it! unfortunately, this is true of those not-so-nice-behaviours as well. :blush:

 

yes, little sponges! reminds me of the little children's song from church... "oh be careful little ears what you hear"... a constant reminder to me to watch what and how I say things! of course they take in the good things too! keep on training them!