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Cottage Charm Part 6 – Playtime Manners

 

Playtime manners are so important as every mom knows. “Manners, please”, she would tell us as that gentle reminder that we were not acting our best and it was just enough to nudge our conscience and do what we knew that we needed to do.  

Playtime Manners And Manners Out In Town

Manners are very important in play as they are at a museum, in church our favorite restaurant, or grandma’s house. We must then instruct our little ones on how to behave so that they never feel lost in a circumstance and don’t know how to act. It is not a stuffy and antiquated notion, but something we do because we love our children and want them to feel comfortable in many situations. 

How horrible it is to be pushed into a situation you are unprepared for. To be blindsided by expectations we have thrust on us without being prepared. The home is the perfect spot for this to happen by the gentle instructions of a loving parent.

Grandma Cottage when she was a young mom was preparing to take her five small children across the country by train to visit their grandma. Alone. Grandma had grit and guts. She knew her little children were facing a situation they had never experienced and she also knew that it was her job to teach them what to expect. Every day for a week they practiced. Grandma would pull out the kitchen chairs into the living room like a choo choo train and every day they would practice. They would eat lunch on a tray and they would practice not yelling and sitting to color or look at a book, or play quietly with a toy. At first, it was an effort, but day by day they got better and better until the big day at the train station. They held hands at the station and sat quietly waiting to board their train. When it was time they held hands and filed onto the train, waiting for grandma to help them up the steep steps and they waited patiently at the top for their siblings and mom. They did so well on the trip and grandma was so proud of them!

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~PlayTime Manners~ Don’t be Selfish!


For instance, we should not be selfish but share what we bring to playtime with others if we bring snacks bring enough to share with our friends. 

 

Playtime Manners -Take Turns

Do not insist on going first. We need to wait and take turns. We should never cut in line. Do not hit, push, scratch, or throw things at others. This may seem obvious but I see it happen time and time again when I volunteer at church with the children.  
 
A photo of a black and white picture of a mother and father with four children and a grandmother | Play time manners

Playtime Manners – Be Kind

 
 
If you see a girl alone with no friends, include her in your playtime. It will bless both of you because you will have a new friend and
she will be blessed by the love that you show her. 



 

Playtime Manners – Not Just My Way

It is important to not just have your own way but to let your friend or sibling have their way sometimes too. Life and relationships are a give and take and it is good to learn early that letting others choose the game or activity too is being a good friend and it is good manners.
 
Before You Go, Check Out The Rest Of Our Charm Series
 
Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking
 

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