Menu
Hearing First
Person Icon
Hearing First Logo
Hearing First
  • Family Community
  • Professional Community
  • User
  • Site
  • Search
  • User
  • Getting Started
  • Listening & Spoken Language
    • Listening & Spoken Language
    • Overview
    • What is LSL?
    • What LSL Takes
    • The Science of LSL
    • Building Your Support Team
      • Building Your Support Team
      • Overview
      • Meet the Early Intervention Professionals
      • What to Look for in an LSL Professional
      • The Parent-Professional Partnership
      • Finding LSL Services in Your Area
      • Covering the Cost of LSL
  • Hearing Evaluation & Technology
    • Hearing Evaluation & Technology
    • Overview
    • Newborn Hearing Screening
    • Hearing Evaluation and Diagnosis
    • Hearing Technology
    • Maximizing Technology
      • Maximizing Technology
      • Overview
      • Baby
      • Toddler
      • Preschooler
      • School-Age
  • What To Do
    • What To Do
    • Overview
    • LSL in Daily Life
    • LSL Strategies & Techniques
      • LSL Strategies & Techniques
      • Overview
      • Be a Director
      • Be a Bird Dog
      • Hear It Before They See It
      • Make Listening Easier
      • Play-By-Play
      • It's Your Turn
      • Create a Listening Sandwich
      • Keep Them on Their Toes
      • Beyond the Here and Now
      • It's All About Me
      • Help Me But Don't Tell Me
      • What Did You Hear?
    • LTL Sounds and Phrases
    • Road to Literacy
      • Road to Literacy
      • Overview
      • Reading Aloud
      • Singing & Rhyming
      • Experience Books
    • New Experiences
      • New Experiences
      • Overview
      • Baby
      • Toddler
      • Preschooler
      • School-Age
  • Celebrate LSL
    • Celebrate LSL
    • Overview
    • LSL Life
      • LSL Life
      • Overview
      • Genesis
      • Sophie
      • Ethan
      • Cici
      • Kamen
      • Corlena
      • Maggie
      • Zach
      • Dacie & Carlie
      • Morgan & Katie
      • Maya
      • Fletcher
    • Powering Potential Podcast
    • Inspiring Stories
    • The Listening Project
  • Learn & Connect
    • Learn & Connect
    • Overview
    • Families
    • Professionals
    • Learning Experiences
    • Course Catalog
    • Resources
    • Articles
    • Starts Hear Campaign
Learn & Connect Articles

Tips to Teach Your Child Manners

Article | 3 min read
Sights and Sounds of the Season
Read More
LSL in Your Inbox

Stay current with the latest LSL news

Subscribe Now

When it comes to teaching your child manners, the process is easier said than done. Hear from a Mom of two boys with hearing loss who’s been in the trenches of the LSL journey, and came out with tips to help you teach your conversationalist manners and social-confidence.

Should we expect our deaf or hard of hearing children to have age-appropriate manners? The answer is a resounding YES! If our goal is to raise confident conversationalists, we want to set high expectations from an early age, just as we would with any hearing child. However, because children who are deaf or hard of hearing can miss subtle social cues, we want to make sure we intentionally explain the meaning behind manners and offer plenty of opportunities for them to observe, learn and practice appropriate use of manners in conversations and interactions with others. Keep in mind that while good manners may be the ultimate goal, the process of building a strong foundational understanding takes years to build in conjunction with your child’s cognitive and language development.

Here are some tips to teach, model and encourage your child’s development of manners for a future of social success.

  • Model the language of manners in conversations and play: The best way for your child to learn manners is through observing and listening to you as you interact with others and model the language of manners in daily routines and play.
  • Take conversational turns: Help your child develop turn-taking skills. In conversations, pause and look expectantly to your child for a response. 
  • Encourage good listening: Cue your child to listen to others and then offer a summary. “I heard him say he went to the park. I wonder what he did?”
  • Build an understanding of empathy: Put words to and express empathy for your child’s feelings and talk about the feelings of others.
  • Put meaning behind the manners: “Please,” “thank you” and “sorry” are more than just words. Before expecting your child to use these words, help them to understand the meaning behind the language of manners and the feelings associated with good communication.
  • Know what’s age-appropriate: There are a lot of cognitive and language developmental milestones that need to happen before your child can understand the ‘why’ of manners. In fact, children don’t fully develop theory of mind (the concept that others have thoughts and emotions different from their own) until the age of 4.
  • Compliment your child after positive interactions: If you notice your child interacting in a positive way, talk to them about how they made you or others feel.
  • Observe how your child interacts with others: Five minutes of observation can go a long way. Does your child respond to communication attempts from peers? Do they listen to others?  Are they dominating the conversation? Do they take conversational turns? 
  • Read books together: Children’s books can offer light hearted and humorous scenarios for discussing good and bad examples of manners.
    • Interrupting Chicken
    • My Mouth is a Volcano
    • Do Unto Otters
    • Froggy Eats Out
    • Atchoo! The Complete Guide to Good Manners

For more tips from the trenches of teaching manners, consider joining the Family Support Community, where you can ask questions, share stories and receive support from other families of children with hearing loss who are learning to listen and talk with Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). 

Additional Resources:

  • How to Help Your Child Develop Empathy
  • Developing Social-Emotional Skills
  • Mind Your Manners!

Related Resources

Sights and Sounds of the Season

Oh it’s the most wonderful time of the year! There’s so much happening during the holiday season — and...

Article 4 min read
Sound Beginnings: Preparing Children with Hearing Loss for Preschool Success

The first day of preschool is such an exciting life moment! Not just for those children, but parents...

Article 4 min read
Let’s Get Ready: Daycare for a Child with Hearing Loss

Is your baby with hearing loss starting daycare or childcare with a caregiver? Parents often have unanswered...

Article 4 min read
How Busy Pediatric Audiologists Can Stay on the Forefront of Research and Best Practices

For pediatric audiologists, it's simply not an option to fall behind on the latest research, best practices...

Article 4 min read
Why Learn with Hearing First?

As professionals working in the hearing healthcare industry, we have entered a new era. Outcomes for...

Article 4 min read
Linguistic Genius of Babies with Dr. Patricia Kuhl

Believe it or not, babies are considered geniuses in language learning. Interested in learning more...

Article 2 hr read
Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants: What's the Difference?

You’ve just found out your child’s been diagnosed with hearing loss. But what hearing devices will they...

Article 5 min read

Connect with parents who have been down this path before.

Remember, you’re not alone on this journey. Thousands of parents have been in your shoes. Find other parents who can share from experience, offer encouragement, and help your family reach your LSL goals.

Learn More

Sign In or Register

In order to save content, you need an account. Set up is quick and easy! If you're already a member - sign in here.

Register as a Professional Register as a Family Member
Hearing First Logo
  • About Hearing First
  • Starts Hear
  • Family Support Community
  • Professional Learning Community
  • Learning Experiences
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Celebrate LSL
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
©2023 Hearing First, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Policy Using Hearing First Resources Code of Conduct