OH!: Etiquette Pointers for Parents

As busy parents, who has time to read a bunch of etiquette books? Here are a few tips to assist you — Clever Parent that you are — appear more polished, educated and civilized.

1. Sit down and get up on the right side of your chair at formal luncheons.
2. Introduce the person with a lesser title to the person with a higher title or rank, men to women, younger people to seniors. The easiest way to remember how to do this is to speak the most important person’s name first. For example, Madame President, this is your new assistant, Jane Doe.
3. Always repeat the person’s name that you just met; “Madame President it is a pleasure to meet you” or “Madame President, how do you do?”
4. Push your spoon away from you when eating.
5. Once the spoon or knife is used they should not touch the table again; rest them on your plate.
6. Always get a fresh plate when returning to the buffet; never carry your dirty plate for a refill.
7. Tear your bread off in bite-sized pieces and then butter only that section. DO NOT butter the entire piece.
8. Beverages on right; solids on left at the dining table. (This is easy to remember because the word, “beverage” has an “R” (for right) and the word “solid” has an “L” (for left).
9. Think of the salt and pepper as a bride and groom; they always stay together—never pass them separately.
10. Never use call-waiting on a business call.
11. When dining and your mobile phone rings, apologize, turn it on vibrate, and continue conversing with your dining mate. Do not answer the call.