Honestly, the best gift of all is being surrounded by six of our eight grandchildren, especially with the magic of Christmas in the air! Mummy had me write my thank you notes two days after Christmas. She placed the presents near my desk so that I could see them when I wrote the notes, which made the task a wee bit easier to do as a child, thinking: Presents = thank you notes = the potential of more presents in the future!
How inspiring it is to receive so many lovely responses from you all each week! Thank you for also offering your clever suggestions for MMM, for which I am grateful. I am going to share a few, about enlightening your children, which are worthy of your attention. After a year of Covid hiatus, it may be time to refresh some manners that matter, as you and your children venture back into social situations again. Alleluia to that! These genteel pearls of graciousness are still relevant, no matter what a relaxed society may suggest. Teaching by example, and sharing these thoughtful gestures, will serve your children well throughout their life!
Children’s thank you notes:
“I would like to comment about Mummy's Monday Manner’s discussion on the subject of thank you notes, along with the importance of writing them. I think it is very discouraging to see that many of today's parents do not encourage their children to write thank you notes, and most of the time, never mention the concept of them to their children. Learning to write a thank you note is an important skill for children. It is a skill that they truly need because, at some point in their lives, they will receive gifts! My parents taught me to write thank you notes and they made it a fun task. I didn't mind writing the notes because I was very happy to receive any gift that someone was kind enough to give me!” ~ C.C., Kentucky
I have touched upon this in past newsletters, noting that even a scribbly crayon artwork from a little one who is too young to write, or a pretty painting, like this petite fox given to me by my talented granddaughter, sweet Felicity, can become a treasured thank you note. Acknowledging a gift is a precious gesture that will be truly appreciated by the gift giver.
Protocols based on gender and age:
“My mother taught me, and my siblings, a whole set of protocols based on gender and age. Here are a few:
Introductions:
~First, a young person does not offer his hand to an older man or woman until the older party offers to shake hands first.
~Second, a young person always stands when an elder enters the room, be they male or female.
~When a young lady reaches maturity (and the precise age was rather fuzzy), she stands for an older woman but not for a man who might enter the room.
~A young man always stands up when his elders enter the room!
Serving at a dinner party at home:
Similarly, when (in the absence of a staff!) one helps one’s mother serve dinner at a dinner party, whether formal or casual:
~One serves the oldest woman first (and from the left!) and then the remaining women more or less in order of age, followed by the eldest gentleman, and so on down to the children in attendance.
~When removing the dishes (from the right!), one follows the same order beginning with the eldest woman.” ~ P.S., Connecticut
Thank you, C.C. and P.S. for your discerning pieces of advice. I hope that these may inspire you to enlighten your little ones, especially while they are young and impressionable. Do let me know the manners that you feel are important to impart onto your children, especially after Covid quarantine!
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