Like any parents of preschoolers, we demonstrate manners with the hope that the cave babies children get the idea and follow suit. The higher level stuff like eye contact and not barking at babies at the grocery store how to meet new people politely will come eventually, but the basics of please and thank you happen pretty early on as evidenced by the following conversation:

Like Wallace, Pumpkin Pie really *loves* cheese. His favorite is Brie. He is going to have to get a job to support this kind of habit.
Pumpkin Pie: I’m hungry.
Me: Hmmmm… Let’s see what we have. Would you like some yogurt?
Pumpkin Pie: No! I don’t like yogurt!
Me: Alllllllright. You don’t have to yell. How about an apple?
Pumpkin Pie (transitioning from yelling to whining): Noooooooo! I don’t want an apple.
Me: Whiney voice. Maybe some cheese?
Pumpkin Pie: Mmmmmm hmmmm
Me: Yes please or no thank you?
Pumpkin Pie: I don’t like to say please! PLEASE CAN I NOT SAY PLEASE!!!
Take that, Blossom. I forced him to say please not once, but TWICE!!
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