Your child has probably started school and is 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.

Happy School Year!

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

End of the school 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'll want to read our etiquette tips.

                           

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 about our upcoming Etiquette classes for children, teens and adults www.itsallaboutetiquette.com or call 480 510-6346

Raising your hand is a form of respect

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 figure 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 

Don't Forget to Add This to Your New Year Resolutions

Every New Year we look back at the past year and evaluate and make goals as to how we can improve ourselves in the New Year. 

Children can also benefit and learn a lot about self-discipline and the value of making goals. Here are some tips on how to help your kids benefit from making resolutions to include practicing good manners.

1.  Sitting down as a family and discussing goals for the New Year is a great way to introduce manners that your child or children may need to improve on.  For example, setting the table, saying please and thank you, writing thank you notes, cell phone etiquette etc.

2.  As a family unit choose a few resolutions. When a child reaches age five, he or she is more able to comprehend a resolution and participate more in the process of picking one.  A good idea would be to make a master list to hang in a public spot, like a bulletin board in the kitchen or the laundry room.  This way the goals can be evaluated as the year moves forward.

When a parent takes the lead and shows the value setting and achieving goals your child is more apt to follow.
 

However your family arrives at resolutions, the best part is that you're doing it together.

 

A Manager's Guide to Business Meeting Protocol

Meeting etiquette is key to good business, as face-time allows for clear communication and effective decision making. As an organizer it is your job to make sure the meeting is productive. Following the below listed business meeting protocols will assist you in obtaining your business meeting goals and objectives.

Determine the objective - A clear goal will set the tone for the meeting and determine its direction. Your goal should be specific and measurable. If you're expecting attendees to brainstorm, ask each participant to arrive with a list of ideas.
Ask yourself if a meeting is actually necessary - Meetings can be expensive. To calculate the precise cost, multiply the hourly wage of each person present by the length of the gathering. If your objective can be met through e-mail, conference call, Skype, or even a quick one-on-one discussion, skip the meeting altogether.
Invite decision-makers -The most effective meetings involve stakeholders to ensure decisions can be made immediately. If a key decision maker is unavailable, ask a subordinate to attend. Ideally, this person will be able to speak for their supervisor and at the very least take notes and report back.
Prioritize the agenda - To ensure that the highest priority objectives are met, discuss the most pertinent issues first. That way, if someone needs to step away or leave the meeting early, you'll still have accomplished your main goals.
Stick to the agenda - The agenda should be kept to one page and should not include anything other than main topics of conversation. Sidebar conversations waste valuable time. If participants insist on talking out of turn, step in and suggest that they talk after the meeting or schedule a separate discussion. Then immediately go back to the topic at hand.
Wrap it up clearly - At the end of the meeting, quickly reiterate any decisions, deadlines, and clarify any follow-up action required. All meeting participants should understand exactly what is expected of them. Schedule any follow-up meetings immediately.

For more information about our Business Etiquette & Professional Development Training, please visit our website: www.itsallaboutetiquette.com or contact us at 480-510-6346.

Table Manners Your Six-Year-Old Should Know

Table Manners Your Six-Year-Old Should Know

Children do not learn proper table manners overnight. It takes years of repetition and consistent training to refine their skills. Parents have eighteen years to help shape their child’s table manners so there is plenty of time to patiently work with them. Expect lots of errors and missteps. Use gentle guidance and never scold or embarrass. Just kindly correct and continue eating.

The following is a list of a table manners that your child should have a good grasp of by age six:

• Wash their hands and face before sitting down to the table.
• Sit down in their proper seat and put their napkin in their lap.
• Wait to begin eating until everyone is seated and has been served. Many families wait until an adult gives permission to start eating.
• Stay seated in their seats without wiggling in their chairs, going under the table, or getting up and down.
• Elbows do not belong on the table.
• Mouths should stay closed while chewing and pieces should be bite sized.
• “May I please” and “Thank you” should be used when children would like food.

Before getting up at the end of the meal say, “May I please be excused?”

For more information about our upcoming children's etiquette classes, please visit our website at www.itsallaboutetiquette.com