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Monday, November 20, 2006

Politeness

Kayla learned pretty early on to sign the words "please" and "thank you" and like most toddlers it took a bit of prompting on our part to get her to use those signs routinely, but she did.

She really used "thank you" a lot (and when we were out and about and she signed thank you to someone they usually thought she was blowing them a kiss!) She started saying "que" when she signed it which has evolved to mostly "ank you!" without the sign much anymore.

When she would want something we would ask her "what do you say?" and this has gone from signing please to usually just saying it now.

Sometimes I wonder if we taught her too well though.

She doesn't quite get the concept of saying "you're welcome" (and the sign is pretty much the same as thank you which I think is confusing!) instead she says thank you to almost everything - including when she gives you something. Too polite I tell you!

If I ask her to bring me something she says "thank you" as she's handing it to me. If she hands it to me without saying anything I say "thank you" to her, she says thank you back to me. She loves to help me put the clothes in the washer and then transfer them to the dryer. She stands by the dryer and after each piece of clothing that I hand her she says "thank you" (yeah I know that won't last in a few years!)

And when she says please? It's just the cutest, sweestest sounding please - you almost can't deny her whatever she is asking for/wanting. She says it after almost everything "apple please, juice please, milk please, grapes please, cheese please, ham please, sausage please, pancakes please" you get the picture.

When we were at the Single Airmen's Dinner a couple of weeks ago she made a beeline to the dessert table. "Cookie please?" Ok here you go. A little while later she wanted another one, "cookie please?" She had one more and I told her that was it, only two cookies. Of course she was back at the table asking "cookie please?" when she thought I didn't understand she signed "cookie please?" with this pleading look on her face. It's hard to resist when she's being so patient and polite and looking up at you expectantly like, "I said please, don't I get one?"

But we need to teach her that just because you say "please" doesn't necessarily mean you are going to get it. Or that you're going to get right then and there. She doesn't seem to understand that just because you don't get up right away to get her whatever it is she was asking for doesn't mean you're not going to get it at all...she just keeps asking and saying please until you take action.

"Wawer (water) please?"

"Ok Kayla in a minute."

"Wawer please?"

"I heard you, but you'll have to wait ok?"

"Wawer please?"

"let me finish doing this first."

"Wawer please?"

"I need to wash these dishes"

"Wawer please?"

"As soon as I finish cooking this."

and on and on and on. And it's not a demanding "wawer please" either, just persistent, but always in that sweet, cute, voice.

Sigh...

How am I supposed to teach her patience when (I'll be the first to admit) I'm probably the least patient person myself?

I guess like mother, like daughter fits here!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can just imagine how hard it must be to say 'no' to that!

Anonymous said...

She is hard to resist... Did you give in and give her the 3rd cookie at the Airman's Dinner? So cute! Hope your visit with your mom and Kelly is going well. Tell them Hi for me!

Anonymous said...

I don't think mom did but dad gave her some brownie a little later :-)

Joe

LJ said...

She is a doll in all her politeness glory!! I LOVE IT!! I'm one very strong on manners! (I lived with a buffoon for YEARS and his family had no manners what-so-ever!) I made it a point to teach Aaron manners. He says puh-lease. Mostly on prompting. Once in a while he'll say it when he REALLY wants something. He's very good at saying thank you with prompting as well. Sometimes he'll say Thaaannnk-you're welcome. All rolled into one. He's a silly guy.
And yes I have the same persistantness here too with him. It's coming, one minute, wait a second okay? Exasperating but cute!

Catch said...

who could possibly refuse that sweet little gal anything???? And now I have my own picture of Kayla on my fridge!!! Thank You so much Michelle. When I watch videos on here of Kayla I always show them to my Mother, so we both think Kayla is a doll! And once again thank you, I was proud to be a sponser in anything that precious little doll is involved in! God bless and happy turkey day!

Pamela said...

All in good time Mommy. It is such a delight to see little ones with manners. Maybe playrole out the word wait or just a minute. Wait at the bus stop, wait til it's cooked, wait to go by before Daddy gets us, wait for the water to warm. Other than than that it sounds like she is very smart to know sign language too! Patience is definitely a virtue! lol

Dori (Aviva's mommy) said...

Awww how cute. Aviva at almost 6 is the same way. She thinks when you use your manners you get it right away.

HUGS!

K.T. is Mommatude said...

Kendall gets monotonous with her please and thank yous although I must say on the 220th time it is not near as cute as it was the first time....LOL,Manners are so important and so overlooked.They featured a story about "Rude America" this morning on The Today show.......Although I dont really have personal experience with the type of rudeness they showcased.....
Anyhow I bet she is adorable saying Please and Thank You.Hope all is well with your mom and sister!!!

Deb said...

She is such a little sweetie! I'm glad she so polite; we need more like her. You're doing a great job!

Michelle said...

Hey Joe, I didn't approve the brownie...how did that get past me? :)

DeAnna said...

Oh how cute is that?!? We only taught Isabella a couple signs, but please was one of them and now I miss her doing that. Now, she sometimes forgets to say please and we'll say something like how do you ask... and she'll say "Please, OH please!" :) I agree with everyone else, I imagine its pretty hard to resist her sweet little voice saying please. Sounds like her daddy can't resist it. :)

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

That's cute. I can just picture that little face with a little voice saying "pwease" over and over and over... The whole "thank you" "You're welcome" exchange is actually a little harder than we give it credit for. I remember when my niece would get them backwards constantly and say "thank you" instead of "please."

Anonymous said...

Good Job Mom for the manners!!! I love to see kids with good manners. Sorry no advice but I am gonna be watching this to learn. My Miss T already has me figured out at 5 mos. I need to get some pointers...I must say I don't know if I could have resisted giving her the extra cookie.. ;)
Have fun with your family :)

Anonymous said...

That is so cute. Must be hard to resist...

ChupieandJ'smama (Janeen) said...

That's so cute. She sounds like a very polite little lady. Maybe she could give some pointers to my 2 yr old...He could use some help:)

Anonymous said...

So sweet. You have done her a huge favour by teaching her those two little word. Patience ....mmm..I'm still waiting to learn that lol Don't be too hard on her!

Anonymous said...

Becca is starting with Please and Thank you's. When she really wants something she always remembers to say Please ever so sweetly!

I think the patience thing comes with time. I try to give them a little credit. ... I am not that patient either!

Linda said...

I am visiting via Pea's blog. You have such a sweet blog. I love all the precious pictures. I think it's just my "old eyes" but I'm having a hard time reading the small print. I just wanted to say bless you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Beck said...

She's so cute. I would definitely sneak her many cookies.

Anonymous said...

What a cute story. This reminds me of how my Cj acts when he wants something and is feeling rather persistant about it.

Great job on those signs Kayla.