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Values and Manners


"I Want" Gets Nothing


"I Want" Gets Nothing
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 1 to 2
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   0.78

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    anymore, doing, sounds, also, being, birthday, enjoy, even, favor, feel, happy, hard, head, held, matter, maybe


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"I Want" Gets Nothing
By Mary Lynn Bushong
  

1     "Mom," asked Jan, "Why do we say please?"
 
2     "It is part of being polite," said Mom. "Come and help me set the table, please."
 
3     "Why do we say that word?" asked Jan.
 
4     "I think it is part of the phrase 'if you please,'" said Mom. "It means if it makes you happy."
 
5     "It is like I am asking a favor?" said Jan.
 
6     Mom nodded as she put the flatware on the table. "It is very much like that. If someone came to you asking a favor, what would you do?"
 
7     "I would think about it. I might even do it," said Jan.
 
8     "How would you feel if they just told you to do it?" asked Mom.
 
9     "I would not like that," said Jan.
 
10     "Why does it matter?" asked Mom.
 
11     "I have not thought about it," said Jan.
 
12     "What do you think of this? When you say ‘please' you are thinking about me. When you say ‘I want' you are thinking of yourself," said Mom.
 
13     Jan nodded. "That sounds right."

Paragraphs 14 to 29:
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