In our rushed and stressful culture, there is still a need for courtesy, kindness, and good manners.

Children should learn at a very early age, that certain situations require certain behaviors.

Listening without interrupting, following directions and respecting property are important concepts that can be introduced and reinforced at home long before they are necessary in a classroom setting.

Family game nights and casual play dates are the time to stress sharing, taking turns, and playing well with others.

Dining out presents different challenges. Even in a fast-food emporium, little ones should understand that excessive noise and throwing items is not O.K. Restaurant dinners with an extended family group don’t have to be an ordeal if adults plan ahead. I always packed a small snack (Cheerios or crackers) and a book or paper & crayons to help my kids cope with the long wait between ordering and eating. My husband and I agreed ahead of time how to handle over-excited or over-tired toddlers. Usually one of us would go outside to soothe a son or daughter who’d had enough of grown-up conversation.

Once our children were older, we set some “Dining with Grandparents” ground rules. For my son: no baseball caps, since the sight of men and boys wearing hats while eating really offends Grandma. For my daughter: a loose dress code. She didn’t have to suffer in “fancy” clothes, just appear in neater versions of her everyday wear. Grandpa had his own rule: children could order whatever they wanted from the menu, as long as they ate it [which is how all of the grandkids acquired an early taste for Lobster tails!]

It’s true that the world is changing and our concept of “good manners” is changing with it. But there will always a place for consideration and tact. In the home, in the school, in the business world, you still need to mind your manners.