Maggie Cary, a national board certified teacher has been an educator for more than 17 years. She is certified in secondary education and holds a master’s degree in early childhood education.

Over the years she has mentored countless teachers and advised hundreds of parents. Cary has taught children from preschool through high school. She also offers classroom advice on website Classroom Talk. She last wrote about three vocabulary games to play with young children.

Is your son a gentlemen? It's a word that we don’t use too often these days. The way we raise our boys today will determine the types of men that we have in our society in a decade or so. With more equality for woman and girls, we are now asking less of our young men and boys. Each day I see boys, and girls, too for that matter, that are not held accountable for their actions. All parents need to teach courtesy, manners and respect for others as a life skill.

Some might argue that, “ladies first,” is a phrase from the past. Maybe so, but as a parent and teacher, nothing pleases me more than seeing a boy with manners. Proper courtesy to others is a reflection of a family's values. Teaching manners instills both a respect for others (including siblings), and respect for oneself. Does your son practice the behaviors listed below? If not, perhaps it's time to teach him these:

1. Open the door for others, especially women, mothers with strollers, and older people

2. Shake hands and look people in the eye when greeting them

3. Assist seniors (grandparents, etc.) with getting in or out of the car and carrying groceries

4. Take off hats during the national anthem (any country's) and Pledge of Allegiance

5. Know not to interrupt adults or peers when they are talking and instead listen and have respect for what others have to say, even if they have a different point of view

6. Accept responsibility for actions, good and bad

7. Use "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" as appropriate

Good manners should be an unconditional parental expectation. The best way to teach manners is to model them daily yourself. Although children often learn best by emulating what they see, it’s also important to make clear what your expectations are. Praise your son when he exhibits good manners. Children want attention and will strive to get it. If they get more attention when they are praised than when they are corrected, the good behavior will become the norm.

Of course all of the above goes for girls, too. Although when they get older they’ll appreciate, "ladies first." You can count on it!