MANNERS

Your parents probably often remind you to say ‘please’, ‘excuse me’ and ‘thank you’, but did you know that there are lots of other social rules that you should be aware of? Here are some of them. By far, the most important thing to guide your manners is the ‘golden rule’: Treat others as you would want to be treated. By minding your manners, your friends and other kids will look up to you, and adults will be impressed with your maturity. Being ‘in public’ means being anywhere not in your house. This includes being at school, out with your parents or just on the street.

• If you are with a group of people, don’t take up the entire sidewalk.

• If someone bumps into you or if you hit someone, say ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Sorry’.

• Remember that everyone is different, and no one deserves to be made fun of, so never point or stare at people.

• Never throw your trash on the ground. Use the public trash and recycle bins.

• If someone says ‘Have a nice day,’ respond with, ‘Thank you. You too.’

• If you are on a busy street and need to stop for a moment, step off to the side so you are not in the way of other people.

• If you meet someone for the first time, shake his or her hand and say ‘Nice to meet you.’

• When someone holds a door open for you, remember to thank him or her. It is also polite to hold doors open for others, especially people in wheelchairs or on crutches or someone with a stroller.

• If you are on a bus and someone comes on who might need a seat (for example, if they have a baby, are elderly or are injured), offer your seat to him or her.

• Before you get into an elevator, let the people who have arrived at their floor get off first.