David Brunton of Washington, DC points out that its never too early to start insisting your child say please or thank you.
Children are never too young to hear us say please and thank-you to others, and should start getting reminders themselves around the time they are a year old. By the time they can say the words, parents should expect in all the usual appropriate
situations.
Our daughter Zoe didn’t start saying please and thank you spontaneously until recently (she’s a little over two years old), but she’s been doing it with prompting for over six months, and it’s so cute. She cocks her head to the side, gets this pretty smile, and says “peeeeeeeez, daddy?”
Hello again Lina! I TOTALLY agree. The first time Ella gave me a big fat “NO!”, I immediately responded with “No, THANK YOU!”. And, I have to say that both her and Max use the “No, thank you” now (Ella is 4, Max is 2) and it is SO much more pleasant. :) And especially cute to hear a tantrum with “NO, THANK YOU!!!”
I tell the kids too (and I think this is true, and honest) that grownups are going to be much happier and more likely to be nice to them, if they use their manners…