August - Manners #1

I can’t believe how fast time has flown – this month of August will complete the end of Book 1!

Let’s explore the virtue of Manners this month.

Chapter Summary

In this last chapter of The Good Eggs, the Eggs invite Benedict to join their families on their annual camping trip. Benedict gets permission to bring his dog Scrambler, but fails to bring him in his cage as requested. In the car ride to the camp Benedict is being very demanding and rude. 

Even though Benedict promised he would use his manners, he continued to be a problem. Instead of helping set up the tent, Benedict went to the camp’s game room and left the other Eggs to take care of Scrambler. The Eggs all tried to convince Benedict of the importance of using manners. 

Throughout the ordeal at the campground, Benedict kept getting annoyed by some little Eggs that kicked sand in his roasted marshmallow and woke him up playing tag. All he could think about was their lack of manners, then all of sudden he realized his own lack of manners were causing the same kind of frustration among the Eggs and their parents. He realized how much the Eggs have been helping him throughout the year to always be a Good Egg. 

Our Kids' Manners

We have probably all come across a kid like Benedict at one time or another. You think to yourself, who raised that kid? How could his parents not teach him manners? Sometimes, you may have a momentary sick feeling as you ask yourself, “Does my kid ever act like that when I’m not around?” 

Sometimes the opposite is true. At times we are amazed at how well-mannered our child is out in public. Did he just say “thank you?” Did she just say “please?” We find ourselves thinking, “I wish he would act like that at home.”

Or sometimes we notice our children’s lack of manners at home and they will say to us, “Don’t worry, I never do that when I am at somebody else’s house.” Thank goodness for that, but it would be nice if you didn’t do it in our home either! 

Good Habits

We say these kinds of things because we know manners are good habits. The more you practice them the more you will automatically do them. That’s why the last example – “I never do that when I am at somebody else’s house” – concerns us so much. It gives us pause when we observe our children not practicing them in our home and have to trust that they act differently outside the home. A really well-developed habit should dictate that the same behavior happens everywhere, all the time. 

Next week – what about bad habits? Can they be corrected?

Enjoy our remaining summertime . . .

Wishing you all GOOD things,

Sandy