They are such small words that really make a difference yet seem to be so easily forgotten….why? 

I have constantly drummed into my 5 year old daughter that she doesn’t get anything without a ‘please’ followed by a ‘thank you’. She sometimes forgets and is by no means perfect but she knows that ‘I wants’ will be ignored, yet a ‘please could I have’ will achieve her objective nearly every time, as long as it’s not for some hugely expensive toy or sweets full of additives. 

Her little friends that look as sweet as candy, which have been invited over for dinner or birthday parties, however are a different matter. When prompted for their magic word they look at me as if I am some mad women and even prompting has achieved the words abracadabra before a please or thank you. When they have they told me they want a drink and I have insisted they don’t get one until they say please, they are later heard telling my daughter ‘I don’t like your mum, she’s mean!’  

Well if asking for such manners is mean then I will continue to be known as the mean mummy because I won’t and will not respond to ‘I WANT’ or ‘GET ME’ or any other demands. 

Being polite doesn’t cost anything but gets you everything……well in our house it does!