We all want our kids to display good manners but does saying “Thank You” mean you are a thankful person? I don’t believe so.
I have been told time and time again that my children are very polite. I am proud of this attribute but, have realized good manners are meaningless if they don’t come from gratitude. Yes, we would all rather be in the presence of children who are kind and polite versus those who are obnoxious and rude but, when we leave gratitude out of the equation I think we are missing the true meaning of “Thank You.”
The dictionary defines “Thank You” as a conventional expression of gratitude. Unfortunately, we have all heard our share of “thank yous” that were more out of habit and not an expression of gratitude. I myself am guilty. Someone holds a door for you and you say, “Thanks” but are you just saying the word or feeling grateful that another human took time to do something for you? Remember, our children are an imitation of us in the truest form. As I began to realize my children demonstrated good manners because they were copying me I began to see that my manners should be a true expression of how I felt not just words I repeated out of habit. I now genuinely thank people for taking time out of their lives to interact in mine and my children are watching!
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