Little Miss Manners
Parents these days are busy. Whether they’re working to pass Proposition 2 1/2 overrides or forcing their kids to give up their birthday presents for charity, it’s hard to fit in the mundane tasks of raising a child. Which is why etiquette classes for kids are becoming wildly popular.
Instead of working on the nuances of ‘please’ and ‘thank you ‘at home, harried parents are giving their kids over to the professionals to educate them basic table manners, even though experts say young kids learn the rules best at home.
Two area psychologists. . . questioned the utility for younger children, who tend to pick up the social skills they need - such as altruism and empathy - from parents and teachers.
Or you can do what our parents did—bring the kids to grandma’s house. Nothing makes a kid stop slurping at the last bit of milk in the bottom of a glass like a death glare and well-timed cough from the grandparents.
April 7th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
As a former Duxbury resident, I can verify that last article captures the zeitgeist perfectly. As soon as the kids are of college age, everybody bails and leaves the wonderful schools (and attendant tax rate) to the remaining victims of the overrides. Those few elders left feel like occupants of a leaky lifeboat. Talk about your class warfare…