I know this is in a bit of delay, but this lesson is always a valuable and relevant one. Well, as most, if not all of you, already know, Christmas was celebrated a few days ago. Whether you celebrated Christmas or Hanukka, you probably faced the obstacle of gifting your children. So, here is how to teach your kids to be gracious and polite gift receivers.

I have to et something off my chest before I carry on with my point. During the holiday, my family and I sat around the tree, when finally it came time to open the gifts. My niece, who is usually a very sweet and shy girl, went crazy when it was time to open up the gifts. She was all over the plays, leaving a lot of mess behind her, doesn’t bother to say thank you, etc.. This is why I decided to write about this topic.

Now, back to the issue at hand. The first thing you can to do is go over this with your kids in advance. Tell your kids to say thank you and smile upon receiving a gift, and you are covered. It is important to make clear that there are some restrictions. Don’t teach your kids they have to kiss or hug someone, as you never owe a physical act of affection to show your gratitude. This teaches them that no matter what they receive, they have to be thankful.

The second thing you can do is put their feelings into words. Your kids will not always be able to describe to you how they are feeling. So, go ahead and do it yourself. Tell your kid: “I understand how exciting this is for you” “it’s hard to wait, isn’t it?” or “I understand how you feel”; Make them feel seen and heard.

At the end of the day, we have to remember they are children. Take things in proportion and keep your expectations in check. Keep your children’s age and development in mind before you start panicking that you’re raising a spoiled brat. Trust that you are preparing your kids right, that you teach them manners and respect, and everything will fall into place eventually.