Handshakes
In our society handshakes are used unlike the kisses that
dominate European society. So it is an important etiquette for
children to learn how to shake hands. Typically a person extends
their right hand the one they use most often. For left-handers like
my son, it is harder to remember that people shake with their right.
Practice with your child so that they don’t grip too hard (it’s
not a contest) or too soft (there should be some actual gripping)
but right in between.

Please and Thank You
These two phrases are still valuable today and their use shows a
person has manners more than anything else. In order to teach these
words as a parent you must use them yourself (and remind your kids about
a million times). Talk to your child about why please and thank you are
important. Everyone likes to be appreciated and according to Emily Post
saying, “‘Please’ can turn a demand into a request and indicates an option�it
can turn an unpopular request into a more palatable one.”

Excuse Me
This is a valuable phrase that is used too little. Besides
saying “excuse me” after public bodily functions there are many other
times when “excuse me” should be used. Such as when a person walks
through a crowded room, bumps into someone, walks in front of someone,
needs to leave a group, or needs to ask a question. I still remember
watching my two-year-old son force his way through a crowded hall
(which wasn’t very polite) while saying, “Excuse me. Excuse me,” over and over
(which was very polite). Practice role-playing situations in which your child
could use “excuse me.”

Not Interrupting
Nothing shows bad manners more than a child who runs up to his
parent in mid conversation and begins speaking. Teach your child
that when you or anyone else is talking that they must wait until
a break in the conversation before interrupting. Teach your child
the right etiquette using a signal, such as raising one finger, to
show that you acknowledge them and will listen in a moment. Then be
sure to stop and listen to your child. Emily Post reminds parents
that “the mother who invariably stops and says, ‘What is it, dear?’
when her daughter interrupts is helping her to establish a habit
that will do her a disservice all her life.”

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