Manners

Happy and dirty farm girl

Clementine is at that critical stage where she can understand everything, can say just about everything she needs to say, but chooses to whine and cry for stuff first before I stop her to tell her to say "please" and "thank you, mommy".  I have been grooming her for a long time making her do the signs, but now she's speaking the words and believe-you-me, I make her say them every time.  I will still have to remind her for a few months, but hopefully she'll follow her brother and sister and ask "may I?" when she wants something and say "thank you" when she gets it.  I'm big on manners.  Just as it is not easy teaching Bea her alphabet now instead of at 18 months when it takes one month, I think it takes a lot of time to teach kids manners later on.  I'm also going to make it a big part of my home schooling curriculum and I have the Etiquette Bible so watch out kids!

Prayer

Here she is reciting her Alphabet

Clementine said her first prayer the other day.  She folded her hands and said the last word of every sentence I told her to say and then said "amen" at the end.  She is growing up so fast right now and I feel like this is such a great age to mold her little character and her dedication to the Lord.  She copies everything she sees and I'm so grateful that she is understanding that we say prayers at the dinner table and before bedtime.  When we mention prayer, she runs over, lays flat on the ground or kneels and folds her arms during the prayer. 

Last week, for the first time ever, all four(three) kids were kneeling and being reverent for the family prayer.  It was a literal miracle! Violette was at least quiet and not blowing bubbles.  That was a great moment.