Mind Your Manners
by Marian Kaplun Shapiro
Risk Management
Don’t
put that in your mouth
hit your sister
play in the street
talk back to your father
talk back to your gramma
talk back to your papa
talk back to your teacher
talk back to your babysitter
(can I talk back to Aunt Lucy?) Just don’t talk back!
And don’t talk to strangers.
(But Mommy, if I don’t talk to strangers, how will I make a new friend?)
When visiting our new neighbor,
Don’t
interrupt
say a bad word
make noise
act silly
spill your milk
complain
ask for another cookie
stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.
And when we leave, smile, and say thank you to Mrs. so-and-so, and don’t tell her I said she is a mean old bitch.
When you go to a birthday party,
Don’t
eat too much cake
be jealous of all the junky presents
(most of them will be broken by tomorrow anyway)
spill your juice on the good rug
sit on the white leather couch
forget to say please
go near anyone who has a cold, and
don’t forget to say thank you for inviting me
when you say goodbye.
Have a good time!
Going To The Movies
Don’t
eat too much popcorn
drop it on the floor
fidget
scream
laugh
jump on the seat
poke your friends, even if they are
poking you,
fidgeting
screaming
laughing
jumping on their seats…
Don’t forget – I’ll be watching with my magic eyes
whether you can see me or not.
Starting School
Don’t
tap your feet
wiggle
suck your thumb
chew your pencil
pinch your neighbor
Don’t
bother your teacher
ask questions
call out
wave your hand
act like a know-it-all
And don’t drink too much at lunch time so you don’t have to ask to go to the bathroom.
At 3 o’clock the bell will ring, and you can go home.
Don’t run!