Hello children! How was our week, hope we did well in school this week, did we remember to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone that did something for us? Just keep at it. We will get used to it. Today, we will be looking at another courtesy word – Please. Politeness seems to be falling by the wayside these days. Good manners are now seen as something from the old time. The traditional magic word ‘thank you’ that many people learn as children seems to be disappearing. Are we just finding new ways to say old, polite phrases? Are good manners merely changing? Or are they fading away altogether? Saying please to everyone when asking for anything—regardless of whether or not it’s a person’s job or responsibility to help you—is a principle so important that cannot be overemphasized.
It is respectful to make requests rather than demand. When we learn to say ‘please’, it shows us to be respectful and thoughtful. Adults know we are polite and good children. Saying please is something that I believe is very important. It shows respect. Without a please, people sound demanding and entitled. When we use the word Please, it shows respect and consideration for the effort another person puts forth to help us. Including Please with your request is not only a social norm but if communicated with a genuine sense of appreciation, it’s a powerful way to establish rapport, build relationships, and develop your own character.
When we say please, people are more willing to fulfill our request or provide the help we need. As the adage goes, ‘You have to give respect to get respect’. When you are polite and say please, people are more likely to respect you in return. And without a doubt, your consistent use of please (with everyone, all the time) is a little thing that will most definitely help you stand out in a crowd of busy people who are mindful only of their own time schedules and to-do lists.
