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The words we use daily play an essential role in how people form an opinion of us and how they treat us. You might have heard people say the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Similarly, among the collection of words listed in the Dictionary, a few words are magical or golden.
These are special words that we should often use while interacting with others. They include “please,” “sorry,” “thank you,” “excuse me,” and “you’re welcome.”
When your child uses these magic words in their daily conversations, it leaves people around them with a pleasant feeling and brings a smile to their faces. It also teaches your child how to be polite, sincere, and respectful and forms a crucial part of teaching good manners to children.
Read this post as we tell you how to teach magic words to kids.
Why Every Child Should Learn The Magic Or Golden Words
The following are a few reasons why every child must learn the magic or golden words.
- Words of gratitude, politeness, and kindness spread positivity and make children more likable.
- When your child uses these words, it conveys to people that your child is well-behaved and polite.
- Using golden words helps build friendships. Your child would come across as friendly and approachable to people, which would help them make more friends.
- It teaches them to be grateful for every kind deed of others and reciprocate the same deeds.
- It teaches them to be respectful of their peers and elders and helps them mingle with people.
What Are The Five Golden Words For Kids?
The following are the five golden words that we should teach our children early on to make them grateful and polite.
1. Please
A common word used in daily life, “please” conveys humility and respect and instantly makes your child likable. It is used to request something or a favor. Teach your child that they cannot demand anything or everything they need. Instead, whatever they want should be worthy and be available within reach, and they should learn how to ask for it politely.
Teach them how to use “please” when they need a favor from someone. For example, “Pass me the water bottle.” sounds rude, unpleasant, and commanding. But if they add “please” to the same sentence, it totally changes the tone to a kind request, “Please pass me the water bottle.”
2. Sorry
Everyone makes mistakes. Let your child know that saying sorry when they commit a mistake or offend someone brings about forgiveness and peace. “Sorry” is a short word for an apology and has the power to heal. Let your child learn that saying sorry does not make one weak, and instead, it shows their strength of character.
3. Thank you
It is a polite expression that your child should use to tell someone that they are grateful for what they have given to them or done for them. Make it a habit for your child to say “thank you” for every little act of kindness that someone renders to them.
By teaching your child to say thank you, you are helping them become a grateful person. Ensure your child says “thank you” even for a service that someone renders to them in exchange for something, such as at a grocery store.
4. Excuse me
You use “excuse me” when you want to leave a place without offending someone’s feelings, request permission to interrupt someone when speaking, politely ask someone to leave space for you to pass, or apologize for something you have done unintentionally. It works wonders outside the home, especially when children need to mingle with strangers or be in large groups.
5. You’re welcome
Let children know how to use “you’re welcome” whenever someone says “thank you.” Replying to guests, friends, and relatives with a polite “you’re welcome” after they say thanks leaves a lasting impression on people. Every parent wants their children to be helpful, kind, and generous. Thus, by teaching them the use of “you’re welcome,” they inculcate the good habit of responding kindly.
Ways To Teach Magic Words To Kids
The following are a few ways to teach magical words to children and inculcate good manners in them. Using these words will help improve your child’s relationship with people around them and help build goodwill.
1. Make learning the magic words fun for your children
Ensure you adopt fun-filled strategies to teach magic words to them. For example, you could make use of songs, poems, moral stories, and games that teach good manners and convey positive thoughts.
Encourage them to use the magic words while playing with friends. This could be taught right from pre-school, where the focus is mainly on play. Engage them in playful activities and create scenarios where they can say simple dialogues that include magical words.
2. Remind them about the magic words when they forget
It takes time to use magic words in basic conversation. With your help, young children can slowly inculcate the habit of using them. Whenever they forget to use the correct word, give them a hint by saying, “What about the magic words?” This will help them recall the specific word required for the situation.
3. Don’t make learning the golden words a forceful process
Never involve children in forceful learning. Stay calm and polite while talking or instructing them, and do not humiliate them if they fail to use the golden words. Some children may take time to understand and use the magic words during conversations with friends and family members.
Remind them to use the magic words often, but do not make it something compulsory. Give them enough time to develop the habit and focus on explaining things calmly, and they will soon start grasping the instructions to use the golden words.
4. Avoid bribing children excessively
Occasionally bribing children with rewards and gifts can help them want to learn more. On the other hand, constant bribing can make them dependent and demanding, and they will not obey you if they do not receive rewards for fulfilling a task or learning something new. So, use bribing as a secondary option to encourage them to learn good habits.
5. Make the use of magic words a habit at home
Using magic words becomes easy for children when you use them while performing day-to-day tasks. “Please pass me the bread,” “Excuse me, could you please pass me the jug,” “I’m sorry for changing the cartoon channel,” etc., — there are many instances where magic words can be used to address family members. Children often follow what parents do, so always make it a point to set a good example and use the magic words yourself.
These are a few ways in which you could effortlessly teach the magic words to children. Besides using the golden words at home, also ensure you use them outside the home setting and show them how the use of magic words can bring people closer to us. Set a good example for your child; when they hear you saying “thank you” to the shopkeeper or someone who helped you, it will encourage your children to use the word themselves.
