By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
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As you embark on raising your child, teaching them to be well behaved should be on top of your priority list.Having well-mannered kids puts them in a better position for success later in life and let us not talk of the embarrassment and shame it can save you as a parent.

Charity begins at home. Whatever lessons you instill in them should be replicated outside. For instance, you should teach them to be polite not only when they are around you, but as they interact with everyone else out there. There are certain lessons that you should definitely emphasise on with your kid without compromising.

To this end, you should be determined to instill manners in your child to make him or her a better person in life.

The first and important lesson to teach your child is to say ‘please’ when requesting for something and ‘thank you’ to show gratitude once they have been helped or have received something.

Also, Kids should learn the importance of keeping the environment clean. As such, you should teach your child not to litter.You must teach your children to clean after themselves once play time is over. Emphasising on how to clean up before they eat a meal is equally sacrosanct.

Kids should be taught to always request for permission especially in instances where they are not sure about using something or taking it. Teach them to always ask first.

Make sure your child learns that it is improper to comment on other people’s characteristics and physical appearance. They should keep this to themselves unless they are complimenting them.

Likewise, people’s privacy is important and you should make sure your child learns this. Teach him or her to knock on doors if they are closed and to always wait for a response.

Furthermore, hygiene is an important aspect of your child’s life. Teach them how to maintain it by covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing. Insist that they should not pick their nose but to use a tissue instead.

Teach your kid to always hold the door open for someone if the opportunity presents itself. Teach them to say ‘thank you’ when the door is held open for them.

You must also teach your child proper table manners from an early age. They should learn not to reach over the table for items but that they should request whatever they need which will be passed over to them.

Gratitude is an important concept for your kids to learn. Whenever they receive gifts from someone, show them how to write a thank you note. Make sure they do not use gifts until they have expressed gratitude to whoever gives them the gift.

Moreover, It is important to teach your child not to interrupt. This means they should not interrupt when two people are having a conversation or when someone is speaking to them. They can only interrupt when there is an emergency.

In addition, you must teach your child to say ‘excuse me’ whenever they need to get someone’s attention or if they need to get through a crowd or if they have bumped into someone.

All this and many more will go a long way in shaping their lives .