Dear Kid,

September is National Courtesy Month.

Not that you’d know it from listening to the national discourse.

Seems to me we’ve reached a new low in the way we treat each other, and maybe we should pay a little more attention to etiquette.

We can’t change how our national leaders speak. We can’t change how people react to some of the current insanity stupidity events but we can choose to spread a little extra courtesy in our daily lives.

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Epictetus DearKidLoveMom.comPlease and Thank You

Back when you were a tot, Barney sang about the magic words being please and thank you. He was right then and nothing has changed. Taking a minute to use the magic words can go a long way to making the world a better place.

Smile

Just smile. Grin. Like you mean it. Smiles are contagious.

Open the Door

Open a door for someone. Hold the door for someone else.

Offer

Ask how you can help. Try to make someone’s load easier.

Listen

Take a minute to listen to someone, really listen. Pay attention to what they’re saying rather than figuring out what you’re going to say next. Hear between the lines.

As we near the end of National Courtesy Month, take a moment to make your corner of the world a little nicer.

Love, Mom