"Showing Good Manners"

                          How nice is it to hear a young child say "Please & Thank-you".  instead of "I Want".

I don't think it takes much too turn a child around from  "I Want"  to "Please & Thank-you". Except patience to see it through.

                          When a child says "I want a drink" (or whatever), you could say, " May i have a drink please".

                          Or so it's not such a dramatic change for the child to take in, you could say it a different way.

                           "I want a drink please". This way  your only adding one word that is new. "Please"

                            If the word  please is not spoken, and this is the hardest part to do, ignore the child until please is said.

                           You may have to repeat the phrase  a few times, to enforce what you want said.

                            Also when doing this gently explain to the child _ that it is not nice to speak this way to yourself or

                            anyone else.

                            You may have a few outbursts on your hands to start off with _ but you are patient and don't give  in _ the child will soon learn that they will not recieve

                             an item _ until the word "Please" is spoken.

                             In turn the same goes for "Thank-you" don't release the item until the  "Thank-you" is said.

                             And i think if you praise the child each time these words are spoken, they will come to realise, with time that these words are good.

Personally i think there is nothing nicer than hearing a child say "Please & Thank-you". Than hearing a child for e.g. ( in a supermarket  screaming  I want )

Regards Janice

p.s.   Saying "No" to a child is a completely different kettle of fish.  I will think on that subject or maybe another minti member might like to take that one on and link the two advices together. Just a thought.