Teaching our children manners is an important part of socialization. This is true for all children, homeschooled, public schooled, or private schooled, as well as true for the family with many children or for the home with only one child. As one of the HOO members has recently observed, “Being an only means not having to share attention with other siblings, share time on computers, video games, and so forth. When my son has friends over, he tends to want to ‘take charge’ of all activities. I have to remind him that he needs to consider the feelings of the others by letting them choose activities also.”

There are many resources available to help one teach manners. I contend that most manners could be condensed to the Golden Rule, in all things, do to others what you would have them do to you. For the most part this seems to be a concept of common sense. Teaching our children that the world or universe does not revolve around them, to think of others and not just themselves. In this world, of course, the more formal points of etiquette come into play. Social grace covers more than please and thank you, but includes all social interaction. For example, which fork to use to eat the salad course, business protocol, and introductions. It is helpful to have a book or a guide of some sort for guiding the Guide. Even Miss Manners has a book for this, her guide to “Rearing Perfect Children.”

When there are no siblings, it takes putting your child into social situations to encourage good manners, training to habit. It also takes making good manners a part of your every-day life. Children learn what they are around, so it’s always helpful to model the pleases and thank-yous within day-to-day family life, showing him/her that adults also take turns on activities. It’s helpful to start a child young with play dates to train the niceties of life. Starting with only one friend at a time, and as the child grows and matures, adding multiple friends, or for him to have play dates with families who have more than one child.

I have done a bit of internet research and found quite a few books, programs, and websites to help you along the way to good manners with your child.

Books Available:

Miss Manners' Guide to Rearing Perfect Children by Judith Martin

365 Manners Kids Should Know: Games, Activities, and Other Fun Ways to Help Children Learn Etiquette by Sheryl Eberly

Kindness for Young Ladies by Emilie Barnes and Anne Christian Buchanan

Art projects and manners are combined in the book Little Annie's Art Book of Etiquette & Good Manners by Barry Stebbing and Saundra Stebbing.

Blue Thistle books offers several on the subject, such as....

Excuse Me! A Book All About Manners by Cathy Drinkwater Better

Manners Made Easy: A Workbook for Student and Teacher by June Hines Moore

Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good MannersUncommon Courtesy for Kids edited, with commentary, by Karen Santorum