Manners/analogies

Once a week I go to puppy school with little LuLu. 

We, and the emphasis is on we are learning about animal behavior, positive reinforcement, pack mentality, establishing who is the leader/the boss, and so much more.

The most important lessons I come away with each week is that a puppy with good manners/behaviour is a puppy people want to be around, that training a puppy is a lot of consistency, repetitiveness, and hard work.

AND? 

There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

Which leads me to thinking about parents and children. 

Very often I notice children with bad manners. The parents must not notice the dirty looks from other adults. They must not realize that their children aren't asked on play dates or to many parties, or included in plans other mothers make for afternoon excursions. They must excuse complaints from teachers, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

The parents of bad mannered children must not notice that most other children do not run around stores, interrupt conversations, take food without asking, ignore adult directions. They must not notice that well mannered children always say thank you and please, do not correct adults, accept gifts with a thank you (even if they would rather have something else), help when they see an adult carrying in groceries, or clearing a table.

And I feel the same way about children with bad manners as I do about puppies when we leave puppy school...

That there are no bad children, just lazy parents.

That a child with good manners and social skills is a child people want to be around. That making sure you have a well mannered child is a lot of consistent, repetitive, hard work.