What We’re Reading: 365 Manners Kids Should Know

365-manners.gifBy Marti Genge

Perhaps spending the summer helping your kids work on their manners is not your idea of a good time. But there’s a book on the market that might actually make it kind of fun.

365 Manners Kids Should Know by Sheryl Eberly includes games, activities and other fun ways to help children learn etiquette. (I wish I would have had this book when my kids were little.) It’s packed with role-playing ideas parents can have fun doing with their kids. The book includes a section on “How to Write a Thank You Note’. (I still have trouble setting time aside to do that myself.) On page 88, author Sheryl Eberly also suggests practicing the proper pronunciation of words such as “gonna” which means going to or “lemme” which means let me. Just by tackling a few ideas from the 365 suggestions listed, you’d likely see a difference in your kids’ manners by the time that school bell rings. This book could be a little overwhelming if you tried to use it each day, so just skim through and pick out the suggestions that jump off the page for you. Incorporate some of your own fun ideas to use and practice during travel time on vacation. We all know how critically important social skills and good manners are for kids throughout their lives.

Marti Genge is the owner of Pages of Parenting Bookstore, located at 388 E Sunbridge Dr. in Fayetteville. For more tips on great parenting books, call Marti at (479)582-3139 or e-mail her at pagesofparenting@aol.com. Click here to go to Marti’s website: www.pagesofparenting.com