The Etiquette Teacher
A blog about etiquette, manners, raising polite children, and other related thoughts.
Using Formal Dishes Part 1: No Regrets
Over 20 years ago, when my husband and I were getting married, we didn’t register for formal dishes. Back then, in the 90’s it seemed that everyone registered for formal dishes except us. We did register for stemware, so we’d be able to have a toast at our wedding in...
Courtesy Doesn’t Have to End With the End of the Month
National Courtesy Month has come to an end. I know what you’re thinking, “It just flew by! I didn’t even have a chance to celebrate properly!” Don’t worry, there’s no reason for the courtesy to end now that we’ve turned the...
What is it? And how do I use it?
This will be the first of what will over time be a series of blog posts that focus on objects you are more likely to encounter at an antique store than while dining in the United States today. But, you never know, and it’s always best to be prepared. So for today, I...
6 Unplugged Ways to Occupy Children at a Restaurant
This week, Apple reminded us that the iPhone is *only* 10 years old. Sometimes it seems hard to remember how we functioned without a smart phone in our lives – especially when it comes to entertaining small children. My first child was born in the ‘90s,...
Casual Dress for Etiquette Class? Yes!
Today I got asked about the dress code for class. I think the person asking was a little surprised that it’s casual dress for class. As with everything in my classes, there’s a reason behind that. Give me a minute to explain. As I’ve written about...
Pssst…Scooch a Little Closer
When my children were younger, they went through this dry-cereal-for-breakfast phase. Every morning the three of them would sit at the kitchen counter and eat a bowl of dry cereal, with the milk on the side. Every day after they finished, I would find enough cereal on...
Confession of an Old-Fashioned Girl
I have a confession to make: I’m an old-fashioned girl at heart. I’m not one of those people who quickly embraces new technology and just intuitively knows how to use it. I’d much prefer to print this out on paper, put it in an envelope and mail it to each of you....