If You Said "Please" and "Thank You"

Many years ago, when I was in a young moms group at church, I remember sitting at a table full of SAHMs and sharing stories.  One mom in particular shared a few funny anecdotes that I'll never forget.

One was that her young daughter told her that "when I grow up, I want to be just like you Mom!  I want to sit around and do nothing all day!"  Mind you, her daughter was too young and naive to realize that she had just belittled all that a mom does for her children and family.  (Just in case you're wondering, I know this lovely mom, and I can tell you that she was not just sitting on her hands all day! -- but that was the perception.)

Another story went something like this:  The mom asked her preschooler to do a chore for her, and the child balked.  The mom said something like, "Why do you have to give me a hard time every time I ask you to do something for me?"  To which her preschooler responded, "I might be nicer if you said PLEASE and THANK YOU!"

Perhaps, like me, your first reaction was, "She said WHAT?"

But then, if you get to the heart of the matter...

There's nothing like being (figuratively) hit over the head with your own rules, right?

I have never forgotten that story.

Sure, it's important to teach our kids (no matter their age) that there are jobs that we count on them to do -- as part of the family-team.  But, it's no less important to be courteous with our requests, or to be appreciative when they've completed the task.

I remembered this story again earlier today when I passed along a request from my husband to my son:
"Please trim up the front bushes."

He just finished the job -- without complaint, I might add.

Time for me to finish... with a thank you!