Also get the same people to behave in good way in front of the child. Other too must be a good influence on your child. After all children are extremely impressionable and can easily learn impolite behaviour.
Acknowledge and appreciate good behaviour
It is important that you appreciate your child each time he demonstrates good behaviour. Encourage him to be quiet and well behaved when you go to public places like restaurants and the movies. When he does remain quiet and well behaved, tell him how impressed you are with his behaviour. Places like the mall or a kiddie restaurant can be a good place to practice good manners. Rewarding good behaviour is also a good idea but don’t let the child behave well only for the rewards. Eventually, when you take your child out to fancy restaurants and other social gatherings, he will know exactly how to behave.
Be polite, positive and patient
The key ingredients to raising a well-behaved child include the three P’s:
- Politeness: Remember to be polite to your child while correcting wrong behaviour. Keep your voice low but firm and look straight into his eyes while talking. The child must understand that you are correcting him because you care and not because you want to control.
- Positivity: Parents must always have a positive attitude while teaching the child good manners. Don’t use negative words that can make the child feel threatened, fearful or “not loved”. Choose your words wisely while correcting the child.
- Patience: Patience is important as well. Teaching good manners is not an overnight affair. At first you might feel you are fighting a losing battle, but success doesn’t come easy. Give your child to understand and learn the benefits of good behaviour. Also remember that every child is different and you might have to use a different, customised approach if required. Combine these tips with your parenting instincts, and you’re good to go!
