Politeness is what brings children into an accessible world where they are able to help them grow. It is a part of child development when there’s a lot of other core elements going on in their exploration of new skills, and it’s also something children need to navigate life, build relationships and lots more avenues.
Raising a polite child requires a lot of different processes that will help them learn to be kind and respectful towards others, but there are a lot of options for children to develop their understanding of what it means to be kind. Here are some top tips to help, with the advice shared from this independent school in London.
Role model good behaviour
Your child will be following a lot of what you say and do, and will be listening and looking at what you do as well. It’s important to bear this in mind when you are raising a child as they will be spending a lot of time with you and learning more about themselves in the process. When you see opportunities to be kind, show them how to do the same towards their friends, teachers and other family members. Over time your child will learn about what kindness looks like and how they can replicate this for themselves.
Value what your child has to say
Your child is going to see a lot of what you do and what decisions you make as an individual, which over time will be important to their own growth as well. When you let your child make decisions, they will be more likely to offer their opinion on more things naturally. It’s also important to value their input – it might not be right every time but if they have the platform to try things for themselves it offers them a unique learning opportunity.
Teach your child about manners
Being respectful towards others also plays well into a child’s hands. They need to learn how to ask for things in a caring way as well as know when to say thank you, when to open a door for someone, and other examples in everyday life. Have a look at how your child interacts with other people and see what they think – you may be able to offer them some pointers.
Let them be curious
A lot of skills can be taught from allowing your child to simply be exploratory. They won’t know how to be kind and courteous without figuring things out for themselves in a lot of scenarios. Sometimes this means your child has to learn a lesson, but it’s also an opportunity to talk them through their options and what they would do differently next time. This can help teach your child to be approachable to change and appreciate other people’s opinions, something that helps them understand kindness as they get older.
Politeness is essential in a child’s development, but it has to be explored as they get older. To continue building a good relationship with your child it’s also something they must learn to use in order to communicate with others effectively, make new friends, and more.