Does this ever happen at your home? You go to the pantry; reach for the cookie box because unexpected company just arrived. You’re positive there are cookies because the box is on the shelf. Then to your dismay, it’s EMPTY!!! You’re angry on two points…1) the last person didn’t ask permission before finishing the remaining cookies and 2) same said person didn’t inform you to buy more cookies on the next grocery junket.
During these formative years of our children’s upbringing, it’s beneficial if they understand that practicing good manners means being thoughtful of others including those in their immediate family. The following are some some tips to share with our beloved tweens & teens. The list could definitely be expanded!!
- Make your bed in the morning.
- Have a cheerful greeting for your parents and siblings.
- Hang up your coat when you come inside. Neatly line up your shoes or boots just inside the door. Have another cheerful greeting for your parents and siblings.
- Carry your plate from the table to the dishwasher or sink.
- Change a burnt out light bulb.
- Clothes belong in one of three places: on you, in the dirty clothes hamper or the closet and/or drawer.
- Hang up your wet towels right away. Put your toothbrush in the proper place when you are finished.
- Put a new roll of toilet paper on the dispenser and recycle the cardboard. Please flush the toilet!!
- Throw candy wrappers and peels in the garbage. Throw away/recycle empty food containers or milk cartons rather than putting them back on the shelf or in the fridge.
- Take books or food wrappers from the car/van when you get out. Is the van a garbage can??
- Ask permission from your parents before preparing a snack and kindly clean up afterwards.
- Say “thank you” for dinner or when you get picked up for a ride home.
- Feed the family pet or take it for a walk without being reminded.
- Bring in the mail or the newspaper.
- Pick up books and DVD’s and put them away.
- Turn off the TV if you are no longer watching it. Put the TV remote or mobile phone back where they belong.
We need lots of patience with our children especially our tweens and teens. Never harp or complain…remember, we were all teenagers once and drove our parents crazy, too!! Using humor whenever correction is needed keeps our temper in check and our children & teens won’t feel humiliated, either. What would you add to the list? Mention it in the Comments below.
Source: Louise Fox Protocol Solutions
Tags: clothes, garbage, house-rule, thoughtful
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