Age not matter. My daycare children age 20 month to 3 1/2 and I have expectation for manners. If I give child meal and they not say thank-you, plate lifted back up off table until they remember.

Lee-Bee has good idea. Only one thing I would not do and that give warning before act since explaining to child expectations.

We have 4 boys of own. In any family, one child more challenging than sibling. When our son begin school, his teacher have system in class. If child misbehave, she write name on board. If misbehave second time, they get check mark alongside name. Three check mark in one day and child go down to office.

When my husband and I go to parent teacher meeting, teacher complain that every day, our son has name and two check mark. Every single day.

My husband laugh and tell her that he might be handful but he not stupid boy. Her system give him permission to misbehave three times every day before consequence and so our son using that to the limit. When he see that second mark go up next to his name, he know that one more fooling around mean he in trouble. Some children just push boundary to edge. She not think about it that way. She change her system so there consequence immediately her class rule broken and she never have issue with him do this again.