So proud of my Izabella
 

I took Izabella, my 7 year old daughter, to Joann's with me last night. I found a couple of fabrics I bought a little of and when we got up to the cutting counter she asked if she could tell the lady how much we needed. I said sure so I would whisper in her ear 1 yard and she in turn would hand the bolt to the lady and say "1 yard please." When the lady finished cutting and handed Iz the fabric, Iz would say "thank you." Her and Diane (the cutting lady) chit chatted while she was cutting our fabric. Izabella then asked Diane "Would you like me to read this story to you?" (She picked up a couple of Superman books in the store) and Diane said "Yes, please." Well Iz read her one of the books which had words like Metropolis and conquering in them. Diane said to Iz when she was done reading "Wow. You read wonderful for a 7 year old, did you learn in school?" Iz replid "No, my mommy taught me." Diane then said "You have such nice manners for a little girl, it is wonderful to hear." and Iz replid" Thank you my parents taught me those."
Diane looked at me and smiled and told me "way to go mom, I don't hear much in the way of manners often." While that made me proud it also made me stop and think about the kids today. Yes I am very proud of my daughter for using her manners but I feel even better that finally an outside adult said something positive to her for them. Usually she will say thank you ma'am or sir and be told "Don't call me ma'am."
Is it just me or are those manners becoming scarcer and scarcer?
Hugs
April

Oh my, definitely. everyone calls me by my first name too. nothing like being friendly. but they aren't really. I still open doors for men and never get a thankyou. Who didn't teach them? Hmmm.

When I come across a polite child (holding the door, offering to help, etc.) I make sure to say thank you and also tell the adult with him/her that I appreciate it and love seeing kids with manners. A child who hears a compliment is likely to keep living up to it. Congratulations to your daughter and to you too. And now that she knows how much fabric to order, has she learned "Mommy can I make a ......"? Another quilter on her way.

Congratulations on raising a child with such good manners! Not too many around here with good manners, but I appreciate them when I come across them! Good job!

Thank you all for the kind words :) My mom was insistent that we have manners and I feel the same for my child. Respect goes a long way and she needs to learn how to give and get it when she is little.

Mrs. Fitz yup she is a quilter in the making. She has her own machine which grammy bought her for her birthday and her own space in my quilting studio. She even has her own fabric bins :)

Thank you all again :D
Hugs
April

Thank you for that story! I also make certain that I show my appreciation to parents and children of their good manners. I have had the same shown to me about my DD and DGS many times. They are older now, but I still hear compliments about their conduct. Whether it is my influence or my DD's.........whatever, I am very proud of them! You have been a great example for your sweet girl, I am certain. This is the type of child that I would love to meet!!

My oldest Daughter has taught her three boys manners and other politeness. My 10 year old Grandson opens the doors for us. Our 19 YO Grandson saw him one day and he started holding the door for us also. I think some of it is just carelessness and not paying attention. I meet alot of polite men and boys and I always thank them.

I'll take a "Yes, Ma'am" anyday. Were you able to get through the door with your chest about to burst with pride? I was always happy when some one would tell me my boys had such good manners. They better not leave home without them. I let my boys know when others would tell me that. Made them feel good.

Thanks for sharing your story April. I do appreciate hearing of folks still teaching children good manners and such. Blessings to you both!

I agree with all! When I was growing up we new "the look." Now days our youth and young adults language is a shame!... My husband and I have been discussing this alot lately. I will tell you our 2 daughters go not talk ugly, but our son who will be 26 in Oct. does at times. My husband always reminds him "We don't talk like that in this house."
Sad but true! Don't know why he is like this. We love him, but not his behavior!

Good job, April. She is a sweet girl and you can be very proud of her.

I don't think manners are being taught like they used to, but so good to hear that your daughter has learned such good ones from you! Manners, and respect for others are such important traits, but not heard like they used to be.

I commend you for teaching your children. My boys are in their 60's and they still tell me "thank you, that was really good" when I cook. I love it.

I absolutely agree -- there is a distinct shortage of manners in this world. But when I see manners or kindness being shown, whether its a child OR an adult, I make a comment how wonderful it is to see and make a big deal about it! That's a parent who is doing their job and actually raising their child to be a pleasure in society. I also make comments when I see an unruly child that isn't being corrected by their parent about how sad it is that the child ISN'T being corrected and taught what is polite behavior. Yes, its rude on my part - but again, if others make comments maybe the parents will actually make changes and their child will benefit. At the very least, I've seen children curb their behavior after hearing me and then I smile at them and wish them a good day.

I work in a school as a speech therapist and compliment kids who use manners (I do this just about daily). I quietly remind others to say please and thank you and I explain how to apologize and own up to errors in judgement. Many kids still use manners.

Good manners speak so well of the adults surrounding the child....Be proud and enjoy! So many children don't have a positive role model......this world of today is certainly not the world I grew up in.......disturbing at best and so great when a smaller person knows how to behave properly......:)

I always compliment the parents when they are a family at a restruarant and they say the blessing together.I compliment the child that holds the door for me. I hold the door open at church and many people both young and old NEVER say thank you.....Education is one thing but manners are necessary world wide. Hugs and keep teaching manners.

a big pat o your back. it's great to be acknowledged for a great job one

Absolutely nothing pleases me as much as a complement on my children/grandchildren.

Manners don't seem to be in abundance with the younger kids around here. My own 19 yr old daughter holds doors for strangers, and is polite. Yet . . . when her 20 yr old boyfriend comes to get her, or brings her home, he never gets out of his car! I have spoken to both of them about it. nada. zip. she says "I don't need a man to open doors for me or walk me to the door". but she does that for people. I think she is being defensive because he is too lazy to get out of the car. grrr. It is so frustrating. Good for you and Izzy!

My daughter is 33 now but she was manners and so many of her friends mother commented on her manners even back then. She'd hold doors for people, say excuse me, thank you, give up a seat for someone who needed it more. I was and still proud of her. She is a nurse now.

How wonderful!
My DD and I are both working on manners for DGS. He is speech delayed and mildly autistic so it is a bit more of a chore, but most times he will be polite if reminded (what do you say). Unfortunately the school is not reinforcing the please and thank you, just settling for yes and no.
My friend's DD was told her elementary school child was "too polite" and that the teacher found it irritating! Wonder why the child didn't like school. . .

What a wonderful story, sure sounds like you are raising a well mannered, appreciative daughter. Keep up the good work, I wish more moms would teach their children manners. Actually, I wish more moms these days would teach their children anything, it seems I see a lot of ill-behaved children lately.

I do the same, to encourage their kind and thoughtful efforts. I have lived in the same general area all my life. I grew up in the 60's. Strangers always said hello with a smile and held doors for each other and were helpful to each other. I still like to do that today and people have become so withdrawn into themselves (not really sure what), that sometimes they will just look at me like I'm strange for holding the door or something. I don't get it.

A child who has been taught to respect others will earn respect. So many time you hear from young thugs, " He/She didn't show me respect. I always wish I could face these people and tell them "you earn respect not demand it". I've also seen older people demand respect then wonder why it's not forthcoming.
We taught our 3 daughters to have good manners and always consider others. I also told them the only job where you start at the top is digging a hole.
We got many compliments on how well mannered they were, especially when they were in their teens. We must have done it right because all our grand children have beautiful manners.

Way to go mom, and yes manners are definately scarcer. Parents aren't spending the time it takes to teach their children. I was always so tickled when my son remembered his manners without being nudged (still am). It was amazing though how often I was told how "lucky" I was that he was polite. Did they think he was born that way. I wanted to tell people it wasn't luck, it was hard work (but that would have been rude).:D

Thank you all who have passed on manners as part of raising chidren. As a society, we have become so impersonal. If you do not (and I do not) go on facebook, you do not know what the family is doing. Even my oldest sister (77) is doing things that I have no idea of because of all this impersonal "communication". At my doctor's office yesterday, twice I got up and held the door for someone with a walker and they were surprised. That is sad. Manners are the way we connect with others, both friends and strangers.

That is wonderful, I am always happy when I meet someone with manners. Makes me wonder how so many people get through life without learning the basics.

But there are times I am a little taken aback by the compliments.....I expected my son to behave with manners, it was not a "out of the ordinary" thing. Case in point, when he was 15, his fathers stepdad passed away. My son was one of the pall bearers. My ex-MIL called me to tell me that my son was very well behaved. I thanked her politely......but when I thought about it.....I was wondering why it would be such a shock. It was a funeral, a formal occasion, my son was taught to behave well and he was 15 not 5! I expected him to be that way. Oh well, in the end, just glad he presented himself well to that side of the family, they are ever so critical of my side.

When a young man opens or holds a door open for me I sometimes say "Thank you. Your Mom would be proud of you." I usually get a smile. I said this to one young man that held a door open for me and the woman he was with said "I am!" Way to go MOM!!

I take care of my nearly 3 yo DGD 5 days a week, and have since she came home from the NICU. Her parents and I have taught her to call neighbors and friends "Miss ----" or "Mr. ----" because I am not big on hearing a child call my 60 year old friends by their first names. She says please and thank you and excuse me very naturally. I do get a lot of nice comments when I am out in public with her. It takes work to teach manners, but frankly it's not that hard if it's something you value.

You are doing a great job and it shows! Be proud and keep up that wonderful parenting.
Penny

2 weeks the bus I got on was full of teenagers going to Alton Towers. Being over 60 I did expect at least 1 would have offered me a seat.
This week same bus and conditions one boy did offer his seat. I polite ly said no as I enjoyed the ride for 2 stops holding on the front steadier as it felt like surfing the waves.
He laughed I said it was fine as I was only goin across fields .
There still are well mannered teenagers about.

Wonderful job April, more parents need to teach their childern manors, but so many of the yonger parents were not taught maners when they were growing up. And so many have no respect for others including their own parents, and no one to blame but their parents.
It is the "ME" generations and it shows. Real pity for the kids.