A Guide to the Manners and Good Behavior Program

Not to brag, but I’ve got 12 grandchildren, and I’ve spent a lot of time with kids. The truth, when it comes to teaching your children good manners and behavior, is that being a good example is the most important ingredient for success. As a writer of get-organized books, I have volumes of correspondence from moms who quit hitting the snooze button and woke up to that truth. There’s a quote in my first book that supports it, “You can’t tell your child to make his bed if you’re still in yours.” And if you eat like a pig you can’t expect your kids to eat like civilized humans. With that said, let this program help you too. After all, basics are basics and there’s still a little girl in you who just might’ve missed some of those basics when you were young.

When your children have learned the basics of good behavior and manners, that education allows you the freedom to take them anywhere without stress and with the confidence you can trust they will always respond well to your directives. You can be comfortable knowing your kids know what’s expected of them in all situations and they in turn build confidence in knowing their presence is welcome wherever they go. The House Fairy reinforces your manners and conduct training with her basic lessons.

As a mom you’re constantly reminding, nagging, saying “no,” re-reminding and often, to your regret, raising your voice and resorting to yelling and screaming to get your kids to do the right thing and act appropriately. But with the help and influence from the House Fairy, you’ll be able to elicit her influence and the whole game will change in a very positive way.

This package is designed to help your children improve their manners and behavior. Also, as a bonus, I’ve included videos in Part One that will set some guidelines for your children to follow in keeping their rooms neat and clean (videos #1House Fairy Will Take a Picture of Your Room, #2The House Fairy Official Rules, #3House Fairy’s Fairy Dust).

In order for the House Fairy to help you, she needs to be real to your children. The evidence of her presence in your home will reinforce her reality. Many moms using the House Fairy to improve their children’s manners and behavior, have told me they started with House Fairy inspections and surprises for clean rooms.

The best way to explain how the House Fairy knows your children behaved well at the restaurant or in church, for example, is by explaining that she has happy, little helpers who do nothing but look for good. Her helpers are birds, bugs, elves, animals etc. and they help her watch her Snuggle Bunnies (her term for children) and report their good manners and behavior. In fact, the House Fairy will help you in another very important way; she’ll open your eyes wide in being more appreciative when your children display good behavior and manners, because you’ll be writing the glowing compliments to reward them along with the surprises. In Mom’s Toolbox you’ll find a file, Notes from the House Fairy about Behavior and Manners, just in case you get writer’s block.

Since behavior and manners are intangible, the House Fairy can’t leave a surprise for children without some sort of explanation. When your children behave well and use their good manners, you could set out a surprise and some glitter somewhere in your home and when your children find it, you could say something like, “I’ll bet the House Fairy’s helpers saw how you didn’t whine when I told you couldn’t have candy when we checked out of the grocery store.” Or you could write a note from the House Fairy praising the display of good behavior before you leave for the store (anticipating they will be good) to include with the surprise, if the good behavior indeed happened.

One note about misbehaving: When your children act up in public, once the House Fairy has become a benevolent and established friend to your children, all you’ll have to say is something like, “Oh, I wonder if that bird is one of House Fairy’s helpers? Of course you’ll always need to follow up with rewards and notes to reinforce the change in attitude that will happen.

Your obligation to teach your children good behavior and manners is just one side of the responsibility coin. The other side of it is to be critically aware of the circumstances surrounding each specific event. For example, you can’t expect children to behave well if they don’t get adequate rest, are dehydrated or hungry. Usually one or all of those elements are present in melt-downs. Also excess sugar to children is like booze is to alcoholics, it affects behavior. Teaching children the basics of good behavior and manners is a gift you can give them that will last a lifetime.

And now, may I present the House Fairy’s Manners and Good Behavior Package.