Modern-Day Manners

"Etiquette isn’t about primness, but about having a template for being thoughtful and kind.  The fundamental principles of manners never go out of style."  ~ Emily Post

"Say thank you,” “Sit up straight,” “Shake hands,” “Say please”…Most of us heard phrases like this as we grew up, because our parents were teaching us manners.

But in this increasingly informal world, why should we bother to teach manners?

• Having good manners meet a social expectation – kids are expected to have good manners, and they and their parents earn more respect when they do. 
• At the heart of good manners is a respect for oneself and others. Good manners convey a sense of respect for other people. When you say “thank you,” you’re taking the time to make the other person feel appreciated. Saying “please” respects a person’s right not to do what you’ve asked (it’s not so demanding with a “please” attached).
• Good manners may play a role in your child's future by showing that a s/he listens and does what he is taught – these are good character traits that teachers, employers, and other authority figures appreciate.  From bosses to girlfriends, good manners can make or break an opportunity. 
• The civility of the world depends upon it!  Good manners set a standard of behavior against which other behavior can be measured, which helps keep order and civility in society.

To this end, we have taken a timeless theme and updated it with manners for the digital age.  We developed Modern-Day Manners for our own children, and gave it a vintage theme, just for fun!  Each of the lessons is accompanied by a full-sized, color poster.  

Modern-Day Manners is self-paced, and the lessons can be completed in any order.  They are aimed at middle school children, but very easily tailored to elementary school, and would be appropriate in any life skills classroom as well.

Good manners and etiquette are essential in our daily lives, but learning them can be fun!  It is our hope that thiscourse blesses many families.