m is for manners, m is for money

Manners: A polite child is generally a welcome child. M is also for money; teach financial literacy and the benefits of delaying gratification through saving.

I think my baby-making days are over. But there's nothing that makes me go 'cluck cluck' than hearing a child say "please" and "thank you". (Yes, I know. Pretty easy to please, hey?)

When my child says, "Mummy, please can I have a drink?" I grin from ear to ear. People in hearing distance comment on what lovely manners he has and it makes me Super Proud. And today when packing for a trip he asked, "Mummy can you pack me in your suitcase?" So cute!

Of course it's not always that way. In fact I often feel like an old parrot repeating the importance of nice manners. Over and over again.

And then there are days when there's that whining voice and demands. No nice requests.

And when I ask Madison where his manners went he says, "Mummy, my manners have gone on holidays."

Sigh.


But I hang in there. I persist. And I certainly hope in time that my son's manners stay local and never take leave.

And as for money... we think that come Madison's 5th birthday next year we're going to start pocket money. Lately he's been asking why Mummy works. It will be good for him to learn that money doesn't magically appear out of Mummy's purse and out of that plastic card.

I think pocket money has to be earnt. Rewards need to be given. (I like incentives.)

But I'm willing to hear any wisdom you may have on this. There's nothing like a network of other mums and dads who have learnt a thing or two. I'm open to suggestions, thoughts and recommendations.

Are manners something you consider to be the utmost of importance? Do you persist? Do you do you do pocket money? Is it tied to incentives?

The A-Z of Parenting Tips were inspired by this article in the Courier Mail.