I just called up to my four year old son, asking him if he wanted soup with his lunch. His response? “No, thank you, daddy.” Now I suppose if I lived in the South, I’d be disappointed he didn’t say “sir,” but here in laid back California, just the “thank you” was a big reward for about 800 days of correcting and cajoling. Kids learn from repetition and consistency. We never let a request come without a “please” followed by a “thank you.” And, we let the kids correct us if we forget. It actually works. My eight-year-old wouldn’t think of skipping those words and she’s always invited for playdates.