The theme of my last four articles is teaching manners and courtesy to young children, with a specific emphasis on forced apologies. These are issues of much debate and discussion among parents and others, and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the Early Childhood Parenting forum.

Here's the latest articles from the Early Childhood Parenting site at BellaOnline.com and links to the related forum discussions:

Modeling Manners and Courtesy for Young Children
Modeling good manners and courtesy is the most important way to teach our children these important life skills.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art22397.asp

**Share your thoughts -- Manners Forum Discussion: http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=548855#Post548855

Making Children Apologize
Should children be forced to apologize when they hurt another? Isn't it simply "good manners?" A discussion of the meaning of an apology and why "I'm sorry" may not always be the best expectation.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38984.asp

Alternatives to Forced Apologies
Forcing children to apologize may not always be the best path. Taking responsibility for causing harm and taking action to help may be a more important first step. Here are alternatives to making children apologize.
- First Steps - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5587.asp
- Making Amends - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art2234.asp

** Share your thoughts - Forced Apologies Forum Discussion: http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=548856&#Post548856

Please visit earlychildhood.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Early Childhood.


Nicki Heskin, Early Childhood Parenting Editor
http://earlychildhood.bellaonline.com

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