Raising Kids With Good Manners

The time to teach children good manners starts from the time they are old enough to understand simple commands and follow through with them. This is usually between the ages of 18 months and 2 years. In fact, studies have shown that teaching children good manners at an early age will help them develop a better sense of respect for others that will stick with them throughout their entire lives.
On the other hand, if you are interested in teaching your child good manners at an older age, that is just fine, too. Better to learn them later than not at all. Good manners are actions that show others respect. Good manners also help children succeed in life.
So, what are the good manners that children should know? They do not stop with the "please" and "thank you" phrases that are commonly taught. Those are very important, of course, but good manners include any actions that help a child display good behavior. Some include:
Table manners
Telephone manners
Writing Thank You notes
Introducing new people
Learning how to treat older people
Learning how to share
Here are some tips for teaching your child good manners:
Teach one thing at a time. You may have thoughts racing around in your head about what you want to teach your child, but give them time to process one social skill at a time. If you are teaching about good table manners, let your child get the hang of that before moving on to how to write proper thank you notes.
When teaching a skill, keep in mind that your child is learning something new and may not get the hang of it right away. Be ready for mistakes and instead of reprimanding for wrong actions, accept the fact that you may have to go over lessons until your child learns them well. Your patience will go a long way in making your child feel more comfortable with the skills he has been taught.
Remember to be a shining example to your child. If you are telling your child to say "thank you" when receiving a gift, and you do not do the same, you are sending a strong message that maybe manners are just for kids and they are not really all that important. No matter what age we are, adults deserve respect from each other, too. Your child is watching you.
If you need to correct your child for wrong actions, take them aside and quietly explain what they did wrong and how to fix the problem. Never embarrass your child in public or yell at them. This will make your child feel discouraged. Tell him what you want him do, instead of telling him what you don't want him to do. For instance, instead of saying, "Don't eat that cookie off the floor," you may try, "When something drops on the floor, you throw it away."
Of course, if your child has caught onto a particular social skill, praise them for it. Let them know that they have done a good job. This will make future lessons much easier and your child will be more open to go on. Besides, you should feel proud of your child when they have done something right!
When you know that you are heading into a situation where your child will need to use good manners, talk with them about it ahead of time. Explain some instances where they might need to be on their best behavior and what you would expect them to do. There is no need for surprises or pop quizzes. Help your child and this will help build their confidence.
If everyone used good manners, wouldn't the world be a better place? We can start with one child at a time! source-http://christian-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/raising_kids_with_good_manners