Your child has probably started school and they are a little nervous about new friends and their surroundings.

Here are a few etiquette tips that will help your child through the new school year.

• Be on time.
• Respect your teacher and call them Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss
• Be neat and tidy.   This includes bathing, washing hands after eating, and brushing teeth.
• Send your child to school with the recommended items by the school.  Lunch money or voucher, and follow the rules as to what is allowed and not allowed (cell phones, medication etc.)
• Show respect to others.  Don’t take things that are not yours and don’t gossip or say things that are not true about other people.
• Play nicely with other kids.
• Respect the classroom rules and obey your teacher.
• Practice good sportsmanship.
• Let your child know that there will be other wide range of differences among the students in their classrooms races, religions, types of families, and living situation and some may be handicapped.

 If you want your children to have good manners, it starts at home.  Parents should be the example.

Have a Happy School Year!

Please visit our website www.itsallaboutetiquette.com to learn about upcoming etiquette courses for children and adults.

 

Be the Perfect Houseguest with these few tips!

  When staying with a relative or close friend this summer it's important to be a gracious guest.  Here are a few tips that will ensure a fun stay and maybe an invitation back next summer!

Be clear as to when you will be arriving and departing.

Leave fluffy the cat at home.

It's nice to bring a house gift and take your host(s) out to dinner one evening.

Ask what the house rules are.  If shoes are allowed in the house and what time people wake up and go to bed.

Sit your children down and let them know what is expected of them when visiting someone's home.    

Pack a robe and slippers.

Help out around the house as much as possible doing small chores. 

Help to chip in for groceries.

Be timely for meals and all activities.

Leave your room and bathroom neat and tidy.

Try not to leave personal items throughout the house.

Never complain about your bed, activities, your room or food.  Always show appreciation.

On the day of departure, take the sheets, blankets, and pillow cases off the bed, fold them, and leave them neatly on top of the bed.

Always send a thank you note to your hosts as soon as you get home.  

Enjoy your Summer!  

Please visit our website www.itsallaboutettiquette.com for your upcoming etiquette classes or call 480 510-6346!  

End of The Year Gift Giving Etiquette

                  End of The School Year Gift  Giving Etiquette

End of the school year is just around the corner.  What teachers do you give gifts to?  Here are a few tips that you may find helpful.

Is it necessary to give a gift to your child's teacher?  The answer is no. The most popular gift educators said they wanted to receive from their students and parents is a thank you note.  It is heartwarming for a teacher to hear that they have made a difference in the lives of one of their students.

What should you say in your thank you note?  Start out with thanking the teacher for all of their hard work throughout the school year, what you appreciated the most from their efforts, and any positive changes you noticed with your child that you can attribute to their gift of teaching.  Teachers really appreciate homemade cards too!

What teachers do you give a gift to?  If you are going to give a gift, focus on the teacher your child spends the most time with during the school year.  You can give a gift to a teacher who has gone out of their way to do something special for your child or the teacher your child has a special bond with.

How much should you spend?  There is no specified amount.  It's whatever your budget allows.  Remember, a gift is something that comes from the heart.  It doesn't have to be expensive.  It could be a hand written note from your child thanking their teacher for helping them grow, home baked goods or a gift card to a restaurant, salon or an educational store to name a few. 

There a numerous creative ideas on the internet that would be appropriate, won't break the bank and are fun for your child to participate in choosing the perfect gift idea.

Can several parents go in together to buy a gift?  Yes, this is a wonderful idea.  Some parents get together to buy a group gift. If you buy a group gift, it is not necessary for a parent to buy a separate gift for the teacher.

Gifts to avoid - Coffee mugs, desk trinkets and stay away from giving the ever popular apple!

Being an educator myself, I have been in quite a few school classrooms as a guest, teaching etiquette to our wonderful kids.  I have seen firsthand how hard our teachers work.  I would like to say a big
"THANK YOU" to all of you for all of your dedication, patience and passion!

Look for us on Arizona Midday NBC channel 12 on March 23rd! 
Destry and I will be talking more about End of the School Year Gift Giving Etiquette. 

Please visit our website for our upcoming kids Summer Classes!

www.itsallaboutetiquette.com

Going to the Prom? You May find our etiquette tips helpful.

Helpful tips on going to this years Prom

Whether this is your first year or last year going to the Prom make it a night to remember with these simple tips.

• Don't miss out on the Prom because you don't have a date.  In today's world it is perfectly acceptable to go solo or with a group of friends.  This takes the pressure off of trying to find a date and the disappointment of not attending.

• Asking someone to the Prom can be a stressful situation.  Nobody likes to be turned down.  But if you don't ask you won't know.  Make sure you ask the person in private.  You may want to say, "Karen, would you like to go to the prom with me?"  Wait for the response.  Was that a yes?  Great!  If it's a no thank you, don't hang your head and walk away.  A polite response should be, "Okay, thank you."  Walk away proud and avoid bad mouthing the person who said no and think about another person you may want to invite or go with a group of friends. 

Remember:  Once you accept an invitation you are committed to going.  It's not okay to accept an invitation and then cancel because you got a better offer.  

• What to Wear?  Getting dressed up is part of the experience.  Is your prom semi-formal or formal?  Most proms are formal and you will want to set the tone of elegance and sophistication.  For the gentlemen formal is a black tuxedo, white tuxedo shirt and bow tie.  For the lady, a cocktail dress, formal gown or dressy pant suit is acceptable.

• Who pays?  If you are going with a group, usually everyone splits the expenses.  The person who extended the offer is no longer responsible for picking up the entire tab.  Most couples or groups split the expenses.

• Now is the time to make plans.  Don't wait until the last minute and be surprised you can't make a reservation because everything is booked. Now is the time to reserve the restaurant and limo, and call the florist.  Speak with your date or friends to determine the costs and who is responsible for paying for what.  You wouldn't want to be at dinner and not have enough money to pay for your food or to tip the waiter.

• Corsages, boutonniere and wristlet's  The most important tip is the color of the flower.  It should not clash with your prom dates dress.  Rely on your florist to suggest color and type of flower.  A good idea is to ask the florist the proper way to pin on a corsage. 

• Dining manners Make sure your dining manners match your look.  People in the restaurant are already looking at you and commenting on how nice you look.  Don't ruin a fun night by calling attention to your poor table manners.  Know how much to tip.  It is usually 10%, 15% of the bill and if you have exceptional service 20%.

• Dancing  If you are bringing a date, dance with him/her on the first song.  Then if you want to dance up a storm with other friends do so, but with discretion.  Don't ignore your date and leave them standing around wondering what happened to you.

• After Parties  After the prom is over there are usually after parties.  This is when it is important to follow the guidelines you have come to know and are expected to follow.  Do not drink and drive, respect curfews and don't be afraid to leave early if there is a situation or behavior you don't feel comfortable with.  Call a taxi or your parents if you need a ride home.

• A Big Thank You!  It is important to thank your date or group of friends for a great time.  Always thank the host of the after party for inviting you and any service staff that was hired during this time.  Most of all, don't forget to thank your parents for helping to make your prom night a memorable time and a night to remember!

Please visit our website for more information on our upcoming Etiquette classes for children, teens and adults www.itsallaboutetiquette or call 480 510-6346.

One of the most important things you can teach your child is respect.  A respectful child takes care of belongings and responsibilities, and a respectful child gets along with parents, their peers and figures of authority.

Teaching children to treat others like they would like to be treated helps your child understand the feeling of being respected.

The best way to teach respect is to show respect. Children model the behavior of the adults in their lives.

1) Introduce the concept of respect early (as soon as the child is able to understand when being spoken to) by identifying positive and negative behavior.

2) Show your children how to respect by interacting respectfully with your family members and with others.

3) Talk with your child at those times when they demonstrate behavior that is less then respectful. Showing them in the moment is most beneficial.

4) In discussions with your child, begin by building on the strengths that they have shown, the positive behaviors in which they have engaged, and how to improve the undesired behaviors.

Learning good manners is a good start to learning how to respect others.


 Please visit our website to view our upcoming etiquette courses!

www.itsallaboutetiquette.com