Social Skills For Children: Teaching Your Kids Etiquette

By Aseem Chandna

Social etiquette is just not more than following a set of rules, but it is an important set of Life Skills. Social etiquette is knowing the right thing to say and do in a social situation.

While it may be hard to know the most gracious way to act at any given moment, knowing the basics of social etiquette will guide you in the right direction and save you much embarrassment at your next social function.

Your kids are learning from what you say and do, and they will model your behavior in social situations. Here are some basic social etiquette skills you can model for your kids to help them get along in social situations.

1. Remember to remember the names.

It is important to remember people’s names so you can introduce them to others and establish relationships with new people early on. If it’s difficult for you to remember names, try to associate a person you meet with another person you know (or celebrity, sports figure, etc.) that has the same name.

2. Always use please and thank you.

This is a basic rule of social etiquette that many people have unfortunately forgotten. When you say please and thank you, you are extending graciousness to your host or hostess, your date, and any wait staff who serve you while you’re at a function. Sending a thank you note to the host is another basic fundamental of social etiquette.

3. Do not gossip or speak poorly about anyone at social events.

This includes former boyfriends or girlfriends, previous bosses and colleagues, estranged friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even your veterinarian. There are several reasons to not put people down in public. The world is indeed small, and it’s entirely possible that the words you say about someone will be repeated back to them at a later date.

Second, speaking poorly about someone is not gracious. Remember, someone at the event could be your next boyfriend or boss or confidante. You don’t want to isolate yourself from others before they get to know you.

Social skills are essential, whether on the playground or the boardroom

4. Do not be boastful.

There is a time and a place to talk about your accomplishments, particularly when someone asks you a question about them. While you should project confidence when you speak about yourself, strive for a balance of asking other people questions and drawing the attention away from yourself.

5. Follow proper etiquette while dining.

At any social event, it’s important to keep your focus on the guests, not on the food. No matter how delicious the food may taste, try to remain attentive to what others are saying and contribute to the conversation during a meal.

Not only is this proper etiquette, it will prevent you from overeating. Of course, practice good dining etiquette by using the proper place settings, wiping your mouth, taking small bites, chewing with your mouth closed, and not burping after a meal.

When it comes down to it, social etiquette is good common sense. But good common sense is very un-common! So, if you would like to be treated nicely in a social gathering, you have to be on spot in etiquette yourself. Good news is that the aforesaid points are not rocket science and can easily be practiced with a conscious effort.

Happy socializing!

Maxxx EduVenture is currently active in imparting Life Skills to children in Mumbai, India and is already working with several schools. All the schools with whom Maxxx EduVenture has worked with so far have appreciated their pioneering concept whole heartedly. To know more, you can visit their website www.maxxx.in . To request a sales call, fix up an appointment and for any queries or suggestions, you can write to them at: email.maxxx@gmail.com

© Aseem Chandna is a Management Graduate with a Degree in Law. He has several years of Marketing experience behind him with top notch MNCs in India and has served in different industries in various capacities. He is passionate about training and has recently teamed up with a group of dedicated professionals in Mumbai to revolutionize the face of basic Education in India! He also happens to be the founder of Maxxx EduVenture.

Life Sills Resources:

Social .Skills For Kids – Does your child struggle with social interaction – and are you secretly worried, unsure how you can help? Learn the best way to empower your child in overcoming social challenges. Has everything you need to know to help your child improve social skills and win friends for life.
Inspired Children: Life Skills for Kids – Weekly step-by-step guide to teaching essential life skills to children aged 4-14 yrs in just 15 minutes at a time. Topics include: self esteem, communication, nutrition, exercise, cleanliness. Perfect for Parents, Teachers, Grandparents.
Self Esteem For Children Today – Awaken self esteem to greater heights. Is today’s modern lifestyle destroying your child’s self-esteem? Discover how you can boost your child’s self-esteem with immediate results that will amaze you and your child.

Rules of Etiquette : Teaching Kids Good Table Manners