PSHE: Good Manners

PSHE (Personal Social and Health Education) seeks to raise the emotional intelligence of pupils by developing well-balanced children who have respect for themselves as well as others. One of the aims of this part of the curriculum includes the importance of good manners and for children to realise how their behaviour affects other people.

Lack of basic good manners is a huge problem in schools nowadays, and children often don’t treat their teachers, other staff or classmates with respect. This is why the teaching of good manners in schools is such an integral part of the PSHE curriculum as it leads to an overall improvement in behaviour among the children.

What you can do

Good manners begin at home, and parents should instil good manners and politeness in their children from an early age. In school, teachers should use every opportunity to encourage good manners and politeness to others in the school. If children are taught good manners from a young age they grow up to be kinder, more considerate adults. It is important to set a good example for children in this respect as children often learn from the examples set by those around them. Children need to learn about appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in different situations and it is important to be consistent in the rules that you set for your children.

Good manners in the home could include teaching your child not to interrupt when other people are speaking, or teaching your child not to push in front of others and wanting to always be first. The following are some guidelines for good manners in the home:

• Be kind to others – encourage your children to understand the importance of treating others how they would like to be treated.
• Share – as children learn by example they will learn to share if they see parents and others sharing. Praise them when you see them sharing.
• Write thank you notes – a simple note to say thank you for a gift can make someone feel special and appreciated. Teach your children how to write thank you notes and send them after receiving gifts.
• Healthy eating – proper sleep and a healthy, balanced diet can lead to better behaviour.
• Politeness – teach your children the importance of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank-you’ to family members and others. Requests from your children should not be considered without them saying the ‘magic’ word.
• Show a good example – parents should show a good example to their children and older children should be encouraged to be a good example to younger siblings.
• Praise good behaviour – take notice of when your child practices good manners and praise them for it. They will be much more inclined to behave well if their good behaviour is acknowledged in a positive way.

Good manners are an important part of building good relationships – both at home and in school. Good manners are also about respecting the people around you. Once your child realises that there are consequences for their actions and recognise the value underlying good manners, their behaviour should automatically begin to improve.