Let’s look at your current state of good manners. Ask yourself the following questions as they relate to people with whom you regularly interact. Each of these can be answered by a simple yes or no…be honest with yourself and tally your score at the end.
- Do you smile at friends and family members when you come in contact with them?
- Do you look people in the eye when you are talking with them?
- Do you let your parents know that you appreciate them and all that they do for you?
- Do you offer to help with chores around the house instead of waiting to be asked?
- Do you show respect by consistently saying “please” and “thank you” to those around you?
- Do you show your respect for your teachers and school staff and thank them for their efforts to teach you important things that you need to know?
- Do you speak to teachers by respectively addressing them as Mr., Ms. or Dr.?
- Do you show your appreciation to your friends’ parents/guardians when they have you in their home or help you in some special way?
- Do have a firm and welcoming handshake that you readily share when meeting someone new for the first time?
- Would most of your friends characterize you as a really nice person?
Okay, take your time and go back over your answers to this little test, recording your yes and no responses…be honest, no one is looking, and an honest score can tell you if you need to make some improvements or not. No one makes a 100 on this, but a 70 to 90 is a good score and indicates that, with just a little practice here and there, you could become a well-mannered young person. A score of 50 or 60 means you need to do some work and pay a lot more attention to how you are treating the people around you. Below 50…well, there may still be hope for you, but you better get on it quickly or you are not likely to have many friends left before too long.