A few years back, Chad came home with a box of books that were being discarded by his school library. One of them was 'Manners Can Be Fun', by Munro Leaf (of Ferdinand fame). What a gem. This book was originally published in 1936, but ours is a 1958 edition. I can see some reasons why the library wanted to trash it...let's just say that the gender roles are not incredibly modern, and some of the phrasing is a bit harsh...but it is a great little book. Not only do Clara and Trevor choose it all the time as one of their bedtime stories, they quote from it as they play. Love this book. We use it to look back on moments from the day that might have been less than shining, and, more often, we find all of the ways that Clara and Trevor showed good manners that day.
One of the things that makes me happiest about this book is knowing that parents in 1936 (even without TV!) were dealing with the same kinds of annoying behaviors that irritate the heck out of us in 2008. Generational solidarity makes me feel good.
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