How do you run a Home Based Business and entertain over- sea’s guests?

A dilemma faced by many. I was asked this question by a Home Based Business Owner,

“I run a Home Based Business and have over-sea’s guests coming to stay, with me, for three weeks in the summer. While I welcome the company, how do I politely encourage them to go out each day so that I can attend to my business?”

Whether guests are visiting from out of country or across country the little “Welcome” note will be well received along with a couple of magazines and some brochures of local places of interest eg: Museums, Art Galleries, Theatres, Parks, Hikes & Trails and Shopping Malls. Include a Map of the local and surrounding areas. If you feel that transportation is going to be an issue and you don’t have an additional car to offer them, enclose a couple of Car Rental brochures thus providing a subtle, indirect, hint that your vehicle(s) are not available for their use.

Remembering your good manners, don’t forget the daily “warm welcome” touch by listening and showing an interest as your guests’ relay the events of their day to you. Discuss your guests’ plans over dinner. With offers of a wakeup call and a packed lunch you will be waving them off before the Newspaper arrives. Enjoy!

Breaking Bread

Breaking Bread. Could there  possibly be Table Etiquette rules about eating a piece of bread? Yes!

It is not good table manners to pick up a piece of bread and use it as a baton. The etiquette rule being, don’t talk and wave your bread around in the air to emphasize your point.

Take one piece of bread, or break off one piece of bread, at a time from the serving dish or basket.

Break your bread into reasonably sized pieces. Not too small but bigger than bite size.

To butter your bread, rest the piece of bread against your plate. It is not good table manners to hold the slice of bread in the palm of your hand to butter it.

Butter one piece of bread at a time. Finish eating that piece before helping yourself to another piece of bread.

Place the butter knife on the side plate, after it has been used.

Butter is served in several different ways. It may be served as a stick of butter on a little serving plate, in a small dish filled with whipped butter or small balls of butter, or little individually wrapped pats of butter.

Eat with your mouth closed. Chew each bite and swallow before putting more  food into your mouth.

Do not reach across the table. Politely ask someone to pass you the bread basket remembering those magic words, “Please” and “Thank you.”

Camp Etiquette

Preparing Your Child for a Positive Summer Camp Experience

Sleepover summer camps provide a wonderful opportunity for children to learn new skills, develop friendships, and gain a sense of independence and autonomy. It also gives them a chance to practise their etiquette skills. Before sending your child to summer camp, review these skills to help him feel more confident at camp.

Meeting New People

Summer camps generally assign children of similar ages to cabins. This arrangement allows children to form close bonds with their cabin mates and to develop new friendships. But, for children who are shy or reserved, meeting and sharing close quarters with people they don’t know can be unnerving.

You can prepare your shy child by reviewing tips for introducing themselves, making conversation, and joining in activities. Outgoing children, on the other hand, may not understand how this situation could cause anxiety. If your child is very outgoing, discuss how introverted people might feel and offer tips for including a shy child in conversation and encouraging them to join in activities. Also, let them know that introverted people need time alone and not to take it personally if a shy child chooses to read a book rather than join in a game or conversation.

Being Considerate of Others

When sharing a living space, it is critical that everyone think about how their habits and behaviour affect their roommates. Remind your child to be tolerant of differences and to accommodate other people’s needs. If your child is an early riser, she may need to occupy herself quietly until the others wake up. And if your child usually stays up later than the cabin lights-out time, he will need to abide by the rules and turn off lights and be quiet after that time. If your child is disorganized at home and leaves her belongings wherever she happens to be at the time, discuss the importance of respecting shared space. For a child who is very particular, you might remind him not to hold others to his standards and to tolerate more disarray than he is used to.

Respecting Other’s Property

Children often live in the moment and don’t appreciate the costs of items or the importance of caring for them. Remind your child that the use of the camp property is a privilege not to be taken lightly. The cabins, furniture, sporting equipment, craft supplies, kitchen dishes, and so on are the property of the camp and must be used by future campers. However, if something should break or become damaged, regardless of how it happened, inform your child that they need to report it to their cabin leader or counsellor immediately.

It is extremely poor etiquette to hide the damage or deny being involved if you were. At camp, children must also respect the property of other campers. If they use or borrow something that belongs to someone else, they must treat it with the utmost respect and return it in the same condition they got it. If they break something belonging to another camper, etiquette also requires them to take responsibility by repairing or replacing the item.

Dining Etiquette

Basic dining etiquette applies to eating at camp. If your child is particular about their food, point out that people are working hard to prepare good food for him and all the other campers and encourage him to try new things. Generally, summer camps offer a variety of meals and some will be unfamiliar to your child. Encourage her to try new dishes before deciding she doesn’t like them and, if she takes something to try and doesn’t like it, she can discreetly deposit it in the garbage at the end of the meal without making negative comments about it. Also remind your child that he needs to abide by and support the clean-up rules set by the camp.

Reviewing these etiquette rules with your child can help to improve their camp experience. With a solid understanding of expected behaviour, children can feel confident and relaxed going into any situation and that includes summer camp.

Community Etiquette Means Being a Good Neighbour

As I was out walking in my neighbourhood and enjoying a warm summer evening, I got to thinking about what makes a neighbourhood a great place to live.

Of course, safety is important, so areas where the crime rate is high are not the nicest places to live.

Clean and well-maintained streets also make a difference to liveability, as do friendly people and feeling that you’re part of a community. In fact, the people who live in the neighbourhood have a large influence on its overall liveability. In the best neighbourhoods, many people have a community etiquette that contributes to its safety, friendly atmosphere, and overall sense of community.

Try these community etiquette tips to foster more community spirit in your own neighbourhood:

• Treat your neighbourhood as you treat your home Your neighbourhood, actually, is your home on a wider scale. Keep it clean and well-maintained. Always deposit litter in appropriate garbage containers, and if you find litter left by someone else, pick it up. If you have a dog, clean up after it, even in the winter when the mess might be hidden by snow, at least until the spring. If you notice city or town property that needs repair or maintenance, such as a burned out street light, a pothole, a broken sign, call the city to report it.

• Be friendly and interested in your neighbours When you see your neighbours, always offer a cheerful greeting and, whenever you have time, stop to chat. When you know your neighbours and what is going on in their lives, it creates goodwill and opens communication should any issues arise. If you notice a neighbour having a problem, offer to help if you can. For example, when an elderly neighbour is unable to mow their lawn or shovel snow from their walk, do theirs when you are doing yours.

• Be considerate of your neighbours needs Avoid making noise at times when people are usually sleeping, that is, early in the morning or late at night. Mow your lawn or use other power tools or machines later in the morning or early in the evening to avoid disturbing others who may be sleeping. And, if you have a party, wrap it up or move indoors by 11:00pm. If you have lights in your yard or garden, place them so they don’t shine in your neighbour’s windows and, if you smoke, avoid smoking in areas where the smoke could drift into open windows in nearby houses.

• Get involved in community events and issues As with most things in life, you get back what you put in. Communities are a reflection of the people who live there, so if you want to be part of a safe, friendly neighbourhood, you need to do your part. If your community has a neighbourhood association, join or offer to assist with some activities. If it doesn’t, consider starting one. Pay attention to community issues and participate in city planning that affects your neighbourhood. Organize a neighbourhood barbeque, start a crime watch program, or a neighbourhood cleanup day.

Where we live is a reflection of who we are. If you want to live in a great neighbourhood, start by being a great neighbour. Practise these community etiquette skills and you will soon see them reflected in your neighbourhood.