SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL COURTESY MONTH: Try This Courtesy Starter Kit with Your Family!

With so many pressures facing parents today, spending time on Ps and Qs doesnt always make the 'To Do list. In recognition of Septembers designation as National Courtesy Month, A Little Grace and Charm offers "The Courtesy Starter Kit". A great starting point for parents and teachers, it is really just a short list of goals that are most common and universally expected among courteous school-aged children. Harrison suggests addressing one or two of them at a time with children or using it as a checklist to assess their current PQ (Polite Quotient).

(PRWEB) August 25, 2004 -- With so many pressures facing parents today, spending time on Ps and Qs doesnt always make the 'To Do list. In her extensive work with children and their busy families, Cyndee Harrison, founder of Courtesy Coaching finds that most parents and teachers simply lack a reliable and ready-to-go approach which will prove to be a worthy investment of the limited time that they have with their kids. We often say things to our children like 'Mind your manners without helping them develop a full understanding of what that really means." she says.

In recognition of Septembers designation as National Courtesy Month, her organization is sharing a short list of traits with parents and educators that has aptly named The Courtesy Starter Kit". A great starting point for parents and teachers, it is really just a short list of goals that are most common and universally expected among courteous school-aged children. Harrison suggests addressing one or two of them at a time with children or using it as a checklist to assess their current PQ (Polite Quotient). Heres an excerpt:

Introductions and Body Language:

-Posture: Have your child imagine that an invisible string is tied to the crown of their head and it is being pulled taught from the ceiling.

-Introductions and Handshakes: Help children know what to do when an adult extends a hand to them. Imagine 'mitten hands' (four fingers together, thumb extended). Two firm up-and-down handshakes, then release and relax. In our culture, we look directly into the eyes of the person we're speaking with. Typically, we stand when being introduced to another person when possible.

Mealtimes:

-The Five most essential habits:

1. When in doubt, watch the host

2. Awareness of your body (elbows,mouth,etc.)

3. Kind words and 'just enough' information about likes/dislikes ("No, thank you" is enough to turn down offers of second helpings of something we don't like)

4. Napkins in the lap before the first bite...remain there until leaving the table when they are nearly folded to the left of the plate.

5. Kindness and respect to host...wait until all at table are served, excuse yourself from the table

Communicating with Others:

-Speaking: Lose words like 'Yeah, 'Uh-Huh, and 'Nope and replace them with kind language such as 'Yes or 'Yes, Please and 'No, 'Thank You, or 'No, Thank You. Also, some conversation common sense is important...explain what inappropriate interruptions are to your children. Theres a difference between I want you" and I need you".

-Telephones: SAFETY FIRST! Review stranger dangers and then role play your expectations for handling incoming calls including turning down background noise, getting correct information for messages, and respecting those who are on the telephone.

-Correspondence: Even very young children can, with assistance, write a kind note of thanks or just to say 'hello and will soon learn that this is a magical way to make another persons day!

Helping our children grow into courteous adults is a lifelong learning process. We suggest that there are three keys to parenting a polite child 1) opportunity to practice in relaxed environment, 2) modeling at home and school, and 3) access to a reliable reference--an etiquette book on the family bookshelf, for instance" Harrison says. A suggested reading list, the full Courtesy Starter Kit, and more free downloadable resources are available at the website www.mannersforkids.com .

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