We had a booth at the Mira Mesa Street Fair on Saturday, and if you came by you noticed the prize wheel we had out which attracted quite a bit of attention. Prizes were donated by our local
HEROES organization, Mesa Builders, the Mira Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Callahan’s Pub & Brewery, and Mira Mesa.Com. We met a lot of our neighbors, and handed out toys, small tools, gift cards, candy and ice cold water bottles to anyone who took a spin at the wheel. I must say for the large part, people were very nice, friendly, and thankful (especially for the cold water on such a hot day) but there were a few that just lacked good manners. Rather than focus on the negative side to this behavior, I would like to make this week’s Top 10 list good manners we should all teach our children, and hopefully use ourselves every day.

1. Say “THANK YOU” after someone offers you something, or “NO THANK YOU” if you decline the offer.

2. Always be polite, and use the word “PLEASE” which goes a long way, and doesn’t cost you anything.

3. Be considerate of others while on your phone, since no one wants to hear your conversation other than the person on the other end of the phone. Excuse yourself if you feel the need to continue a phone conversation while conversing with others.

4. Show interest in the topic and person you are talking to, give eye contact, and never interrupt. Think about it. You don’t like talking to someone who doesn’t listen or always interrupts you, do you?

5. Take turns. It is important to teach your kids that they will make more friends if they are good playmates, and this involves sharing and taking turns.

6. Be a good sport. Although most kids like to win, no one likes a poor loser or a gloating winner. Be a good sport no matter where you finish in the game. This lesson goes farther as you become an adult.

7. Be kind to others. Teaching your child to care for others, people and animals, will make them a better person and also builds character. Start when they are young, and build the foundation for what they will become.

8. Be on time. This teaches accountability and responsibility. It shows disrespect when you are constantly late, as this subconsciously tells the host that their time is not as important as your time is. Don’t arrive too early either, as they may not be ready for you until the scheduled time. And don’t stay too late, as this makes for an uncomfortable situation when guests overstay their welcome.

9. Remember the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s never a good thing to put people down or make fun of them as many people have feelings that could be hurt easily.

10. Whenever eating out or eating at home, it’s always good to practice good table manners, such as not talking with your mouth full or belching at the table. When at a dinner or party, do not eat until the host/hostess is seated.

There are hundreds of things that could be included here, but this is a good list to start with. One of my favorite expressions is “When the child curses, slap the parent.”  This is so true. We often wonder where our kids hear curse words, when in fact the hear them directly from their parents.
Watch what you say in front of your kids, and try to lead by example by following these good manners and you will raise a child to be proud of. Thank you for reading this article, and please feel free to leave your comments as well. And to all those that took prizes on Saturday without saying Thank You… You Are Welcome!