Do Good, Be Good
Social Etiquette Adventure
Good manners look different around the world, but kindness is understood everywhere. Let's travel the globe and see how people greet, chat and behave politely, even online!
Did you know?
In New Zealand, the Māori greeting called the hongi involves two people gently pressing their noses, and often foreheads, together. It stands for sharing the 'breath of life'.
In Japan, people often bow to greet each other. A deeper and longer bow usually shows greater respect.
Online, a message typed in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS can look like SHOUTING. Good online manners, called 'netiquette', include using normal letters and kind words.
Try this: Phone call practice
Practise a polite phone call with a family member. Greet first: 'Hello, this is ___ speaking.' Ask for the person nicely, listen without interrupting and end with 'Thank you, bye!' Then swap roles. Practise tricky moments too, like taking a message: write the caller's name and number clearly. Remember, never share your address with an unknown caller.
Go further: Netiquette: manners online
Being polite online matters as much as being polite in person. Before you post, ask yourself: would I say this face to face? Ask before sharing a photo of someone else. Never share passwords, even with friends. If someone is unkind online, don't reply in anger; tell a trusted adult instead. And remember, a real person reads every message you send.