Tag Archives: manners

Are Your Kids’ Friends Welcome at Your House During the Holidays?

There are those families for whom holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are strictly for family, and then there are those where the population of the gatherings are a bit looser. I believe that the age of the family members has something to do with it too–young, school-age children are pretty satisfied with family-only gatherings but as children get older–teenagers, college-age, and older–inevitably they may want to bring friends along to family holiday gatherings. Have you thought about how you feel about that and whether or not your kids’ friends are welcome at your house during the holidays (and for … Continue reading →

Toddlers at the Table

We have all read and heard so much about how important it is for families to eat meals together. Many of us actually WANT to have and nurture the family meals. That can make it incredibly tough and challenging to figure out how to manage the difficult toddler stage. Anyone who has ever tried to have a civilized meal with a 2 or 3-year-old at the table—knows how “uncivilized” it can be! So, what can you do when it comes to toddlers at the family dinner table? Family meals ARE important, but I am of the opinion that flexibility and … Continue reading →

The Use of Mr., Mrs., and Ms.

I have begun working with an organization in Barcelona, Spain for a future project and I was struck by the fact that everyone in the paperwork I have received is listed with a Mr., Mrs., or Ms., preceding their names. I know that when I first started out in the work world nearly three decades ago—it was quite common to address people with a prefix, but we have become increasingly casual—at least in the fields that I work in. What is the role of using those prefixes nowadays and what do we small home business owners need to know? I … Continue reading →

Try Using Your “Nice” Voice (When You Can)

It has become quite common to hear parents telling children to use their “inside voices” when they are out and about in public places. The other day, however, when I was listening to a parent barking and snapping at a disagreeable toddler, I thought we parents might need to be reminded to use our “inside” voices as well—and, while we’re at it, we can practice using our “nice” voices too… Now, I’m not talking about that syrupy sweet affected voice my kids used to call “mom’s fake work voice”—no, I’m really just talking about common kindness and speaking to our … Continue reading →

Are You Technically Rude?

With all of the great new surges in technology we are experiencing, lately, it seems that poor old Emily Post is having a hard time keeping up. That is, there is often an entire collective phenomena of “unconscious rudeness” that happens several times a day, every day. Take this morning for example. I went for a lovely walk outdoors. It was serene and peaceful; very zen. That is until someone who was walking a few feet behind me decided to make a cell phone call. I got to hear all about this person’s life; how she suspected her husband of … Continue reading →

Teaching Children How to Be Good Hosts

Some have told me that they think being a good host or hostess is an art form, but I disagree. I think that hosting is a skill and can be learned and practiced just like any other skill. Since we are such a social society, it only stands to reason that, as parents, we should spend some time teaching our children how to be good (or at least, adequate) hosts and hostesses. I know this sounds a little old-fashioned, and maybe even sounds like some sort of parenting advice you would read in an old, Victorian book geared toward the … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids to Be Neighborly

Being neighborly seems to be a lost art—a part of our heritage and social behavior that is fast disappearing in our modern world where we often don’t even know who our neighbors are! While some of us are blessed to live in established neighborhoods where we come to know and cherish our neighbors, others of us live in more transient areas or are so busy that we may live in a home for months or years before ever crossing paths with our neighbors! There are little things we can do, however, to give our children a taste of those neighborly … Continue reading →

Party Tips: When YOU are the Guest

My mom taught how to be a “good guest” when I was very young. It stuck with me, so I’ll share a few of her tips here that I’m passing along to my kids. One rule was not to arrive empty-handed when invited somewhere. A thoughtful host/hostess gift is always a nice touch. She also taught me that it is most polite to RSVP with plenty of notice and at the time to ask the host or hostess what I might bring. Many times, people will say, “Oh, that’s all right; you don’t need to bring a thing.” Some are … Continue reading →

Three Marriage Resolutions Everyone Can Keep

I’ve said it before and I will continue to say it: even the best marriages still have room for improvement. So, whether your marriage is good, bad, or indifferent, these three resolutions, which anyone can keep, will make your relationship stronger. Drop Everything At least once in a while, it is important to put everything else on hold for your spouse. That’s right, drop everything, and show your mate how important he or she is to you. Instead of saying, “Hang on for a minute,” or, “I’ll do it later,” just stop what you’re doing and go see what your … Continue reading →

How To: Teach Your Kids Good Manners

“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.”– Emily Post In 365 Ways to Help Your Children Grow, the authors offer many wonderful activities aimed at teaching kids manners. Here are some of my favorites. (1) Top Ten Manners Your kids will look to you for guidance on how they should behave. When teaching manners, make sure you brush up on your own. Make a list of ten manners you want each of your kids to have and work on one manner a … Continue reading →