Teaching etiquette and manners to kids

I have turned on the Masters, not because I think I will be invested in watching golf, but because it’s a great background show. 

 

I finished writing a piece for my magazine about a new camp: etiquette classes for children. 

 

When I was first introduced to this camp and the woman whose business operates it, called Good Manners Consulting, I found it intriguing. You don’t hear much about etiquette and manners training nowadays, I feel. But I’m glad they’re still around. 

 

When I was small, although I can’t remember how small, I attended a “charm school” with my sister. We were encouraged to take part by our grandmother, who provided transportation to the two-day event held at Assisi Heights in Rochester, where my grandma’s relative was a Sister. The Sisters of St. Francis taught the class, and each student got paired with a Sister for the two days. 

 

I remember the Sister I spent the time with was nice, and shared stories with me. She even gave me a picture she had taken of a robin’s nest on a windowsill that had somehow perfectly reflected the circle of iron in the window. I kept that picture for years, only letting go of it when I left for college, mostly because it had become bent and crinkled due to my poor care. 

 

In charm school, we learned how to set a table, when to say thank you, and other basic manners. I remember having fun, and enjoying the time spent at the beautiful buildings of Assisi Heights. 

 

So when I talked with my interviewee about her camp and her company, it reminded me of my time in charm school. This woman’s passion carried through the phone, as she talked endlessly about why she believes it is important for kids not only to say thank you, but to learn how to communicate and socialize in person. Especially in today’s world of social media, she talked about how she teaches kids to be confident speaking with people face-to-face. 

 

Hailing from Australia, this woman joked how she thinks she keeps the kids engaged because her accent makes it fun. She calls them “silly koalas” as kids sometimes seem clueless as the camp begins. 

 

Now that I’ve written my story about this woman and her camp, I can tune in to the Masters and watch McIlroy (currently) kick butt. Golf just seems so hard sometimes. 

 

When I was golfing last week with Jack’s family, I would get asked if I knew how to play golf or if I played often. I would say it’s been a while, but that I used to be on my high school varsity team. Jack would give me a look, then I’d laugh and explain that while I was truly on varsity, it was only because there weren’t enough girls to fill the spots. I joined golf my junior year of high school after switching from softball, so I wasn’t necessarily practiced. I had played golf before that and knew how to play of course, but I still learned a lot in my two years taking notes from Ted Hammond and Jake Nelson. 

 

But thanks to my recent reintroduction, I want to get back into it. My plan is to step onto whatever course is closest (and cheapest) and practice my swing. 

 

My Determination: “Don't be obsessed with your desires Danny. The Zen philosopher, Basho, once wrote, 'A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.' He was a funny guy.” - Caddyshack