Etiquette and Respect for Children

Not This...                                             Do This!

Points for Parents

Daughter: “Don't wear that fussy red dress when you come to school, will you?” Mother: “If you're going to he ashamed of me, I won't go at all.”

Mother: “Which one of my dresses do you want me to wear when I visit your school? I can remember when I was your age, I cared a lot what my mother wore.”

The way we interpret a child’s concern about our appearance may be an indication of whether we’re immaturely over-sensitive or maturely understanding. — By Edyth Thomas Wallace, 1952

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

More Parent’s Etiquette Advice

POINTS FOR PARENTS

                                                                        By Edyth Thomas Wallace 

Children respect parents more for being fair than they do for being always right.

• Not This – Mother: “I can't see myself apologizing to a child because I thought he took money from my purse. Anyway, my talk on honesty won’t hurt him.”

• This – Mother: “Son. I want to apologize for insinuating that you took money from my purse. I remember now that I paid the paper boy with it.” – 1952

More than most people, parents need to remember that strong emotion and clear thinking cannot function at the same time.

• Not This – Father: “Now don’t go off to your room and sulk. Come back here and we'll settle this thing right now.”

• This – Father: “Let's wait and talk this over later, Son. We are both angry now and can't think clearly.” –1954

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Parenting Etiquette Advice

POINTS FOR PARENTS

By Edyth Thomas Wallace 

An important factor in teaching children to be non-Interrupting listeners is giving them the opportunity to live with adults who are, themselves, this sort of person.

• Mother (Interrupting): “Say ‘he’ not ‘him’, Son . . . Don’t talk so fast . . . You said that before ...”
• Mother: “You told the story of the movie so well, I almost feel as though I had seen the picture, too.”

Both parents and children grow mentally when they continue to learn.

• Mother: “I don’t see why grown ups ever want to go to school again. When I finished college I was glad enough to put my books away for keeps.” 

• Mother: “I have decided to lake one of these courses in art. You are growing up so fast, I'll want something to do after you leave.”
  
  
  
  

Both children and parents are happier when parents recognise and accept Individual differences.

• Mother: “I don’t see why you always have to be on the go or have a gang here. Why can’t you settle down and read or play happily alone as your brother does?”

• Mother: “This is Tom, who likes active play with his gang and this is Jim who likes quieter things. They are very different and it’s interesting to have them so.”

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Teach Etiquette with Games

Not like this below.             Do this below instead!                            

Playing games to teach good manners ahead of time, is better than the alternative of scolding a child later on for exhibiting acquired bad manners.

POINTS FOR PARENTS

Playing games which teach good manners is more effective and much pleasanter than is scolding about bad manners.

Mother: "I was so ashamed of you last night when we had guests—reaching clear across the cake plate to take the biggest piece!" 

Mother: "Let's pass the plate of cookies around the table and you have each one of the dolls take the cookie that is nearest to her."—By Edyth Thomas Wallace, 1953

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Moderator and Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Retro 1950’s Etiquette Points

Do it this way.... Not the other!

Points for Parents and Retro "Modern Etiquette" from 1952

From Edyth Thomas Wallace 

and Roberta Lee

A small child's rudeness may be due to his ignorance of a more acceptable way of expressing himself.

Mother: "I'll slap your mouth every time you say such things as ‘shut up' to me. You are a bad boy to talk that way to your mother.” 

Mother:  "Instead of saying, ‘shut up, I’m talking,’ the polite thing to say is,‘Please don't interrupt me,' Now you say it the nice way."

Q.  Is it proper for women to shake hands with each other when being introduced? 

A. Women may, or may not, shake hands with each other, as they prefer, unless the one who is about to offer her hand is certain that it will be agreeable, she will do well not to be too hasty about making this advance. 

Q. If individual salt and pepper shakers are not used on the dinner table, how many should be provided? 

A. Salt and pepper shaker should be placed between every two covers. 

Q. When a girl is introducing the man she is to marry, should she speak of him as her fiancé?

A. Yes.

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia