We’ve tried to teach Ellie to have good manners. We frequently tell her to say “Please” when she wants something, and “Thank you” when she receives it. She learned sign language for both of them first, and uses it about as often as she uses words. I think we’re doing pretty well and she does say both please and thank you on her own occassionally. Usually, though, we have to ask her, “What do you say” when she wants something, or we give her something. Sometimes she’ll stare at you and think about it for a moment and then try one, and if it’s not right try the other until she gets what she wants. I figure, at least she knows what to try right?

A couple days ago I was feeding her a snack, and was giving her pieces one at a time so she didn’t pack so much in her mouth that she couldn’t close it to chew and end up drooling snack all over. Whenever she would want another piece she would say “More snack” and I would say “More snack, what?” and usually she would come back with “More snack please.” Then I’d give her a piece of snack and say, “Now what do you say?” and occassionally she would remember to say “Thank you” One time I gave her a piece of snack and said, “Now what do you say?” and she patted me on the shoulder and said, “Good job Daddy. Good job.” It was very nice, and I decided it was the end of the manners lesson for that snack time.