Helping instill manners in children, adults will often remind them to remember their Ps and Qs. Although the origin is not agreed upon, several explanations have been given.
First, the lowercase p and q are very similar and sometimes mistaken in their construction in a young person’s mind. It is possible that the phrase is a reference to encourage children to pay close attention to what they are doing.
Another explanation comes from the ideas that bartenders were encouraged to keep track of their pints and quarts served.
Still a third explanation to the origin of minding one’s Ps and Qs is the reminder to always say please and thank you. As to where the letter P is the start of the word please, the Q speaks of the alliteration in the words thank you.
As to where the origin remains in question, the application of the phrase is almost completely agreed upon. To “Mind your Ps and Qs” encourages the student to be on their best behavior, mind their manners and their language.
Knowing the right thing to say at the right time is part of most children’s education at home, school and church. Even among their interpersonal relationships, knowing when to say “please” and “thank you” are of utmost importance.
As with many behaviors that become practiced with little thought, minding one’s manners easily falls prey to this phenomenon. In fact, there is a fancy term to describe what is happening, semantic satiation.
Of course, it is desirable that a person learns their manners even if it becomes satiated and loses its meaning. Afterall, polite children are always appreciated more than those lacking such simple manners.
Unfortunately, there is one practice whose meaning should never be so easily lost. The practice of being grateful is not merely a manner to be learned, but a life to be lived.
Like the adult that receives a child’s prayer of gratitude for a meal, it is easy to become so committed to the continuation of saying the prayer that the meaning is all but forgotten.
The good news is, the practice of saying a prayer before a meal is not what God desires. It is the meaning behind that prayer that should fill our lives.
Ephesians 5:20 says to “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything.” And I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
As Thanksgiving is celebrated this week, may you remember to be thankful in all things. May the practice of Thanksgiving define your whole life.
And as always, mind your Ps and Qs.
