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Manners Matter Janis Kliethermes created Etiquette Kansas City in 2007, teaching young children through adults. Married with two daughters, her family unknowingly gives her new material for her etiquette business all the time.
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by Janis Kliethermes, Contributor
“ tand up straight,” Don’t talk with your mouth full,” “Stop interrupting your sister when she’s speaking”… do these sound familiar? Whether you believe it or not, your parents aren’t just nagging to make your life miserable. They are helping prepare you for life beyond high school. What once was “common sense,” is now “uncommon sense.” Parents have become so busy in daily life that we sometimes forget to encourage the basics of manners and etiquette within our own families. “Etiquette” has been defined by Webster’s dictionary as, “The conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed
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businesses and international corporations will often seek help when the “best and brightest” they hire right out of college turn up for work and have bad table manners, or struggle to make conversation. People are constantly faced with new etiquette challenges, as well. While everyone knows there is a definite protocol when meeting the Queen of England, very few of us know the accepted behavior for cell phone use and texting in public. Most of us know to put our napkins on our lap, but do not know the rules for emailing a thank you note. These are the etiquette challenges of 2012. The next time your
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… when it comes to good manners, frequently we aren’t even aware of the rules we are breaking. by authority to be observed in social or official life.” Say what? Good breeding! I don’t think so. Etiquette is simply the rules of acceptable
behavior in social and business situations. The problem is that when it comes to good manners, frequently we aren’t even aware of the rules
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we are breaking. No one is ill mannered on purpose. It is just that many people have not been taught the rules of correct behavior. Local
parents remind you to sit up straight, or to please chew with your mouth closed — instead of rolling your eyes, tell them thank you! n
