Where Are Our Manners? Homeschoolers Guide to Social Skills and Manners

It's easy to blame others for the loss of civility and politeness in the news and social media. Fortunately, as homeschoolers, we are blessed with the opportunity to train our children to push back on cultural influences and lead others by example. In this episode, Mary Ellen and Ginny examine modern behavioral norms and provide simple, concrete, practical tips, methods, and lessons to regain civility and good manners. Please join us and learn how your home can flourish as a training ground for polite, civil, and well-mannered leaders of the future. Program Notes A 2017 Study of Millennials – people born between 1981 - 1996 – today's homeschooling parents and tasked with teaching their children social skills and polite behavior is unsettling. The study reveals many feel challenged as role models of good social skills. 40% believe lacking social skills has held them back at work. 39% think it has caused problems for them within friendships. 62% dread face-to-face communication with friends or co-workers.  65% need more confidence in face-to-face social situations. 68% avoid talking face-to-face. 80% are more able to express themselves in text or online than in person. What are Social Skills? These are the skills we use every day to interact and communicate with each other. We are not speaking in this podcast about people with disabilities who struggle in this area or are unable to communicate in a typical way. But let's dig deeper. We are talking about courtesy and manners. A polite society that is sadly lacking in today's culture. Things like  Holding open doors. Bringing a little gift when arriving at someone's home. Men, take off your hat in a restaurant or at the dinner table. Speaking in a moderate tone of voice. Being quiet in quiet places (church, movie theatres, waiting rooms). No reaching across people. Standing when a lady enters or leaves a room or the table. How to use utensils at a correctly set table. The root of the word "rude" is interesting: it comes from the Latin rudis, meaning  unsophisticated, which remains its primary definition today. In the late Middle Ages, the word came to mean ill-mannered, which is the opposite of polite. Simple, Practical Lessons  These will help your children be comfortable in any situation and allow them to succeed in all social situations. Remember, it is never a formality to practice good manners. Practice good manners at all times at home.  Insist on appropriate dress for Mass, dinner, visiting, etc. Use words like please, thank you, would it be too much trouble, etc. Send thank you notes for gifts and hosting. Set the table every night.   Do not allow gross habits - chomping or munching food, talking with a mouthful, using hands instead of utensils. Encourage table talk – so-called small talk is an important skill (timidity is not an excuse) Never criticize the food – period. "No, thank you" is the answer to something you do not like. Teach a school etiquette class. In Summary - There is a reason to teach etiquette and good manners; it's not to place yourself above others but to recognize other people's feelings and accommodate their needs. Sources You can't go wrong with Emily Post https://amzn.to/3lD61Xk Manners in God's House https://amzn.to/3FLey13 The Compleat Gentleman, The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry https://amzn.to/3lEMENG