Before you stepped into the role of etiquette educator, it was likely frustrating for you to witness children with poor manners falling short of their fullest potential. But now, as a certified etiquette specialist, teachable moments are seemingly endless! You have multiple opportunities and tools at your disposal to teach kids manners.
Why Is It So Important To Teach Kids Manners?
It’s essential to teach kids manners (and generally effective communication skills) so they can feel confident in a variety of situations. Manners are the foundation to feeling confident.
Imagine a child seeking help, but lacking the kind words or etiquette knowledge to have their needs fulfilled. Whether a child is struggling with a math worksheet in school or they’re searching for the restroom at the zoo, knowing how to ask questions in a polite manner will help them get what they really need.
What’s more, children without an etiquette education are often less comfortable speaking up because they’ve had poor experiences in the past. They don’t understand why other people respond negatively to them.
At Manners To Go, we believe every child deserves to feel confident! Our curriculum is designed to help every child find their (politest) voice so they can enter any situation with the ability to communicate their needs, wants, and opinions.
3 Ways To Teach Kids Manners As An Etiquette Professional
While there are many ways to teach kids manners, there are three prominent categories of manners that you should address first. Have a look at the basics, conversational skills, and table manners to start.
1. Basic Manners
Basic manners are those that carry from one situation to the next and always apply. From supermarkets and playgrounds to the hallways at school…basic manners are always essential and helpful.
When you teach kids manners, prioritize these things first:
Eye contact
Self respect
Introductions
These are valuable skills for children to learn because they make up the formula for a strong first impression. Kids may make mistakes after greeting others, but it certainly helps if they can maintain good eye contact long enough to say hello and state their name!
2. Conversation Skills
Many young adults struggle to hold a polite conversation nowadays. But refining conversational skills will help children of all ages grow into capable adults—worthy of their dream jobs one day.
It’s more challenging to train adults in conversational skills than it is to teach children—so start early! Enforce good conversation techniques from a young age so kids can grow into adulthood feeling confident in all social and professional settings (instead trying to pick up slack on the back end).
Conversation skills are also necessary to build friendships! Children who can clearly articulate their thoughts are better able to share, take turns, accept kind criticism, and resolve conflict.
3. Table Manners
Mealtimes are an ideal opportunity to teach kids manners. Think about it: table manners encompass all the skills people use to feel confident in most social settings.
To start, children need to learn how to hold their utensils in a safe, polite way—in turn teaching them restraint, control, and awareness. They also need to understand how to navigate a table setting, which translates to feelings of independence, security, and confidence.
Most children always love studying table manners because it’s action-oriented! They love to set the table and rehearse mealtime conversation. As an etiquette professional certified with Manners To Go, you’ll know how to teach both American and European Style Dining!
Where Can You Teach Kids Manners As A Certified Etiquette Professional?
The list of places where you can teach kids manners is vast! Schools alone have a variety of etiquette education needs, from group assemblies to after-school programs.
Not-for-profit groups like scout troops, sports teams, and church organizations appreciate etiquette educators, too. Some country clubs or youth organizations (like Jack and Jill of America) search for specialists to lay the foundation for good manners in order to bring out the best in their participants.
There’s even a desire for etiquette professionals at birthday parties! Children everywhere crave the knowledge they need to succeed, so any opportunity to teach manners and make it fun is huge.
There are a few techniques proven to help teach kids manners. Try one or all three in your own etiquette education endeavors!
Model The Behavior You’re Teaching
“Do as I say, not as I do,” doesn’t work for much, let alone teaching kids manners. Your students need to see you acting the same way you want them to behave.
For example, the first time you meet your students, you ought to introduce yourself politely! Make good eye contact and square shoulders to show respect. Nod along when they’re speaking to you and repeat some of their words in your response to demonstrate that you were actively listening.
How you handle yourself during times of stress or disagreement is particularly important. Don’t let negative emotions be an excuse for poor manners. Teach kids manners matter even when they’re not feeling their best. And it’s okay to feel down as long as you express your needs and disappointments in a healthy way.
Role-Play Different Scenarios To Teach Kids Manners
Role-play is a fun way to illustrate your etiquette lessons. After all, it is role-PLAY! Stage a few imaginary scenarios in which all of your students play an important part.
When role-playing, it helps to act out the wrong way to handle social situations before you model the right way. Acting pretend-rude can be a silly way for kids to get comfortable in class and help them understand that kids with poor manners come across less seriously in real life.
Positive role-play sticks with young students better than lecturing alone. It gives them the opportunity to visualize themselves in different social situations, so when they come across the real thing, they’re ready!
Focus On What’s Developmentally Appropriate
Depending on their developmental maturity and aptitude for learning, different kids need different learning opportunities. But understanding what tools work best for the students in front of you can be challenging if you don’t have any training.
A certification to teach manners to children from Manners To Go is the solution to that problem! We provide you with resources to understand each of your students and teach them effectively.
The knowledge you acquire from your certification will help you manage your expectations about children’s unique abilities and provide valuable direction for each class you teach. You’ll be more confident (not to mention better qualified!) when you complete the certification program.
There are many ways to teach kids manners, but a few that matter the most. Bear in mind a few basic techniques and take the time to acquire your teaching certification so you can drive the greatest impact on your students.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
Your etiquette library is an important resource for you as an expert.
As part of your training, we provide you with a list of books to add to your “etiquette library”.
As etiquette experts, we provide our knowledge and teachings to Preschools. It is necessary that you have different modalities to keep this age group entertained.
Of course, within the Manners To Go curriculum, we offer multiple role-playing activities for you to use during the manners class but we also recommend you take a few minutes to read a story.
Children love it when we read to them.
Last weekend I was in our local bookstore. This title, Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang, jumped off the shelf. I walked right to it.
Yes, the cover is bright and inviting but once I opened the book and read a few pages, I knew I had to add it to my library – and I want my licensees to add it to theirs.
Add This Book to Your Etiquette Library
And this is why: this book speaks to the many cultures that make up the classrooms across the world. This book also addresses how to make the human connection.
If you have been following us, you know I am a big believer in this topic. Why not start them young – in Preschool!
“The playroom was quiet. Luli couldn’t speak English. Neither could the others. All around the room, children played alone.”
The story goes on tell about Luli’s plan. She has a fat-bellied (don’t you love this description) tea-pot with matching cups.
Luli’s passes around the tea cups to all the children in her class. And everyone speaks a different language- however, they all speak the language of TEA!
This story is heartwarming! I encourage you to get your own copy and share it with the children you teach and your family.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
If you’re someone who’s passionate about teaching etiquette to children, you’ve likely considered doing it professionally. Starting an etiquette business of your own is the perfect solution! “Can I start a business teaching manners to children while I am still working at my job?” is a commonly asked question for new etiquette professionals.
This is exactly how I got started. I was still in a corporate job while developing Manners To Go. And you can do the same! In fact, many licensed etiquette professionals start this way. It happens more often than you’d think.
When you teach manners, life skills, and etiquette to children, you add tremendous value to the world around you.
5 Steps for Starting An Etiquette Business
Starting an etiquette business isn’t for the faint of heart. But it’s also not as difficult as you may think. By following these five tips to kick off your entrepreneurial journey, you’ll soon find yourself the proud owner of a successful business.
1. Consider Taking Baby Steps and Starting An Etiquette Business On A Small Scale First
When I started my own etiquette business, I started planning and teaching manners to children on the weekends while still working my corporate job. Accepting business opportunities on the weekends or evenings makes the leap into business ownership a bit softer.
Of course, committing to your full-time work and starting an etiquette business makes life extremely full for a while. It helps to think of your etiquette brand as a creative outlet so you don’t become completely overwhelmed by “work.” After all, your role as an etiquette teacher should be fun and rewarding right from the start!
As a business owner, you get to take charge of your time. If a particular weekend or afternoon works for you, schedule a class! You can build gradually—at your pace. And you may be pleasantly surprised by how many parents want private instruction on the weekends or in the evenings.
2. Make A Plan and Get Certified Before Starting An Etiquette Business
You need some sort of a plan before you start your own business. Open up your laptop, whip out the “notes” app on your phone, or grab a pen and paper to jot down all the things you need to accomplish before starting an etiquette business.
Acquiring your certification is the natural first step to becoming a manners professional!
Luckily, most of the subsequent steps for starting an etiquette business are already done for you when you actually get your etiquette certification. It’s as if you’re handed a “manners and etiquette business in a box!” Our professional etiquette certification is that comprehensive.
In fact, many etiquette certificate graduates say the entire process of starting an etiquette business was far easier than they expected. We give you all the proposal templates, scripted dialogue, training, and curriculum (for all grade levels) that you need! That way, you can start working right away.
3. Set A Date and Take Action
It’s important to realize that your intentions, passions, or desires aren’t enough to make your dreams come true. If you’re serious about starting an etiquette business, you need to get moving.
You can map out your movements in three simple steps:
Set a date. Your calendar is a powerful motivation tool if you choose to use it!
Have a plan. Know the exact steps you need to take—have them recorded somewhere.
Take action! Follow your plan. Odds are once you start, a snowball effect will kick in—more and more will get done.
Your first move should be to set up a discovery call with us at Manners To Go. I can share my experiences to help you along. Plus, you can hear about many of our licensees who have already gotten started on their journeys in teaching manners to children.
4. Recognize The Value Of Your Time When You’re Starting An Etiquette Business
Remember, you won’t be in the beginning phase of your business forever. It can be a shock transitioning from a full-scale team at a corporate job to becoming an all-in-one marketer, manager, educator, etc.
When starting an etiquette business, it’s important to take time to consider which jobs you can handle and which you should outsource. Take the time to figure out your budget and search for helpers that can take the heavy tasks off of your plate.
For example, you might consider hiring a social media manager! Have someone post about your business on social media a few times a week so you can focus on other things. Hiring a team might not be in the cards for you right away, but it should always be in the front of your mind as your business develops.
The whole purpose of hiring team members is to make more money in the long run. Only hire when someone can add true value to your business.
5. Remember: Resilience Is Key
Embrace the ups and downs! Keep searching for educational opportunities, and as you gain more experience, word of your expertise and helpfulness will spread. Before long, you’ll have a steady list of clients to pull from year after year.
There is always room to expand. Think of all the possibilities to grow your etiquette business:
Non-profit organizations
Schools
Daycare facilities
Sports programs
One-on-one coaching
Explore options in your own town, but also in neighboring communities. Starting an etiquette business takes time and patience. Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of success and failure—and don’t give up when the going gets tough.
Soon enough you’ll have a full-fledged business at your fingertips, ready for further development and care.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
Lisa Richey Interviews Owner of Charleston Shoe Company
Charleston Shoe Company – If you love shoes, then you will not want to miss this interview.
Neely Powell is an entrepreneurial force and such a success story.
Listen as she tells her journey of becoming an entrepreneur.
Neely tells us about how she got her start in college selling shoes at the High Point furniture market.
She now owns over 20 stores across the US!
I was in Charleston recently and while looking for comfortable shoes that were not sneakers, I stumbled upon her store on King Street.
Needless to say, the shopping experience was engaging and one of the best I have experienced lately.
Neely has a presence! And after a few minutes of conversation, I immediately knew she was the owner!
Watch the interview as she discusses how she got started, her master in shoe design and why she has her employees wear two different shoes!
Over the years of training women to start a business teaching manners to children, I have been asked about shoes. Questions such as, “what kind of shoes do you wear when you are teaching” or “how do your feet survive a four-hour class”.
Well, now I have a solution for you. You can wear these shoes for hours. They are comfortable and available in so many colors and heights.
I bought a navy pair to go with a long satin navy skirt that I absolutely love and wear when I travel.
Enjoy the interview. It is a long one so prepare a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy. I promise you will learn and be inspired by her story.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
As an etiquette expert, you will be asked a thousand times to give advice on thank you note writing.
Showing appreciation is an act of generosity and is always well-received.
It shows respect and in turn makes us feel good from the inside out.
Now, more than ever, it is time to get personal. Sending an email or a text to thank someone for a gift is not personal.
If you are doubting whether you should take the time to send a thank you note – don’t second guess your decision. Take out your cards and write one.
As an etiquette expert, you will be asked about writing thank you notes a thousand times. And today, I am going to give you the guidance you need to answer it.
Thank You Note Etiquette: When To Send Thank You Notes
While it’s always a good time to give thanks, sending a thank-you note (and never missing an important occasion to send one) will help our words stand out and show the utmost gratitude.
Here are some tips on when to send a thank-you note:
When You Receive A Gift
Every time you get a present, you should send a handwritten thank you note. No matter how small the present (or how many presents you receive), your gift-givers deserve notes of thanks for each one!
Think of all the time and consideration that goes into giving a present:
Thinking of the perfect gift
Purchasing (or making)
Wrapping
Delivering
If someone is tempted to hop on the computer, remind them that sending an email is not the same as writing a note in pen and ink. Even in the age of technology, emails feel less sincere and more aloof than physical notes.
Guide them to not take the easy way out! Thank you note etiquette for receiving a gift indicates we should take the extra steps and hand-write words of appreciation.
When Someone Does Something Special For You
Let’s say someone takes time out of their busy schedule to assist you with a project. Their gift of time and expertise deserves a note of thanks! For these occasions, an email or hand-written note is acceptable (especially if the favor was professional).
The note needs to mention how someone helped them! Specific details make a thank you note more sincere. Remember, time and attention are precious gifts, no matter who they come from!
After A Professional Meeting
Even a simple meeting is cause for thanks! After an event or a meeting, practice proper thank you note etiquette by expressing gratitude to the other people in attendance.
A thank-you message after a professional meeting goes a long way in making connections and building relationships. It demonstrates that you got something out of the meeting and are grateful for the knowledge you acquired.
It doesn’t matter if you are meeting with someone for the first time or the fiftieth! Thank you note etiquette can be used for all levels of working relationships. You may not have even come in contact with the person you are thanking (if the person was a speaker at your professional event). But if you appreciated their style and delivery or learned something new, they deserve thanks.
How To Practice Thank You Note Etiquette
Guide your students or clients to follow certain steps when writing thank you notes.
From thoughtful words to strategic timing, here are all the tips and tricks needed :
Send The Note Quickly
Timeliness registers as sincerity when it comes to thank you messages.
Consider the times you’ve been thanked. Messages that come through sooner are those that truly make you feel appreciated. Don’t miss your opportunity to thank others as soon as you can!
As an etiquette expert, you can tell them it is never too late to send a note. It is better to send a late note than not send one at all.
Start With A Greeting
It may be tempting to skip the greeting in a rush. However, a greeting (formal or informal) makes a thank-you note more meaningful.
Here are some examples:
Hi Madeline
Madeline
A more professional greeting is necessary for a job interviewer than for a long-time associate or friend.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
When you teach manners and etiquette to children, you can see them grow in confidence almost immediately. You have the tools they need to navigate uncomfortable situations, feel secure in conversations, and ultimately change the trajectory of their entire lives! Become a certified etiquette professional to start a career that is rewarding and truly so important.
As an experienced etiquette teacher, I have many success stories about children who went from shy and insecure to polite and confidentindividuals. When you become certified with Manners To Go, you will experience your own thrilling transformations with your students!
7 Ways An Etiquette Professional Can Help Change Lives
Etiquette professional give their students the keys to unlock the best versions of themselves! Here are seven ways (you might not have thought of) that teaching manners can completely change lives.
How You’ll Impact Parents As An Etiquette Professional
Your interactions are not only with children! When you are licensed and certified by Manners To Go, you will help parents teach manners to their kids. Many parents seek help to make their families as well-rounded and capable as possible. They are looking for experts like you!
Once parents realize that an etiquette professional is knowledgeable and can help their children, they are eager to get involved with the curriculum. Parents realize with certainty that good manners and strong social skills will take them farther in life.
Parents who leverage etiquette education use your language, borrow your games, and mimic your strategies to bring out the best in their children. In essence, your job makes their job (raising young humans) much easier and more relaxed in the long run. An etiquette professional is a gift to any family!
First Impressions and Communication Skills
Etiquette professionals foster better techniques to make a strong first impression and communicate more effectively overall.
Your education strategies rely heavily on parent participation for practice at home. Parents reiterate the importance of your communication lessons long after you leave!
By teaching children how to make a great impression and hold a positive conversation, you help them feel more confident in their everyday social lives.
Table Manners
Table manners are a highly requested topic for any etiquette professional.
During a private lesson on manners, you can work with the entire family to help with all the intricacies of dining. You may be surprised by how much parents love to learn new dining skills! Not only do polite meal times enhance their lives at home, but their lives at work, too!
How You’ll Impact Educators As An Etiquette Professional
Have you considered your value as an etiquette professional for teachers in school? Teachers have their hands full helping students meet academic expectations. They often need extra support instilling good manners and a positive culture in their classrooms.
That’s where you come in with a certification from Manners To Go! Teaching etiquette in the classroom differs a great deal from teaching private lessons at home. Not only do teachers and students benefit from your strategies, but they also get to practice with each other immediately!
Life Skills
Schools often need help and support teaching life skills to a variety of different learners. As an etiquette professional, you can step into classrooms or address multiple groups in an auditorium setting.
Classroom teachers enjoy learning from you just as much as their children do! They practice your etiquette tips, which positively impacts the lives of students throughout their careers.
After-school programs are a popular spot to teach manners and social skills.
After-school is also a less-structured environment than a daytime learning classroom. You can help those children (and teachers) become more confident in an open environment.
For example, I once got a wonderful update about one of my etiquette students! Her teacher called home to ask what was different about her. She wanted to know her parents had improved her eye contact in such a short amount of time.
You can imagine how thrilled I was—not to mention the girl’s mother! When you become certified with Manners To Go, you have the power to foster confidence in others. There is no greater reward than getting positive updates about your students.
How You’ll Impact Organizations and Nonprofits As An Etiquette Professional
Other places where children gather need you, too! Girl and Boy Scouts, sports teams, religious groups, and library associations (just to name a few) can each benefit from the expertise of an etiquette professional.
Such organizations often have meetings and seek outside speakers and consultants to help their groups! Similar to teaching in a school setting, children benefit from learning etiquette among their friends and classmates. Girl and Boy Scouts even award badges for exercising excellent social skills.
Children enrolled in specialized organizations or nonprofits are often united by common interests or a common goal. Focusing on the development of their goals helps unite them even more!
A single etiquette professional has the ability to change the lives of thousands of people! With proper motivation, instruction, and certification from Manners To Go, you can give the gift of confidence to groups who need it.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
Lisa Richey provides etiquette programs to businesses, schools, and individuals.
