What a difference two weeks can make! Thank you, parents and carers, for encouraging and teaching your children to greet others politely. Not one student passes me in the morning without greeting me in some way. Our days at St Matthew’s are beginning on the right foot!

This week, I thought we might all concentrate on reminding our children to say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’. My office is very close to the school’s reception area, and it’s wonderful to hear students speaking to our Front Office staff and using their good manners. Likewise, it’s good to hear older students saying thank you to teachers for a great lesson, or to one another as they complete a task together.

Let your child know why we use these words. Saying please shows consideration for others. Saying thank you demonstrates appreciation and gratitude.

Practice at home. Make your expectations clear, and model saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ yourself. Your children are watching and noticing, even if you think they’re not.

Gentle reminders help to cement good practice. When they forget, you might say: ‘Let’s try that again’, or ‘Oops! You forgot something’.

Reinforce great behaviour with ‘You have such good manners!’. Because social norms are new to many children, it's important to praise them for all the steps they're taking. Remember that this new skill might take a long time to learn. Some children will pick up this skill easily, while others may need more practice until they get it right. Be patient but be sure to share your appreciation and pride. 

Good manners is the fabric that holds the community together.

                                                                                                DAVID ESABWA