Southern Protocol

Can you believe that we’re already halfway through the summer?? For me, the official “midway” point was always July 4th festivities, and it snuck up on me this year like never before.

What that means for all you chic and happenin’ mamas out there is that you are in the downhill slide to the August start of your kids’ school year! For your lively children it means a return to 8:00 am – 3:00 pm schooldays, indoor voices, and actually staying seated during lunch time… does that make you a tad nervous? Don’t let it!

Southern Protocol is teaming up once again with Charleston Museum to offer a Back to School manners workshop on Saturday, August 7th from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. We’ll cover general manners and etiquette, as always (including behaving in public, introductions, phone manners, etc), but we’ll have a special emphasis on behavior in the school building (including table manners, sportsmanship, public speaking, etc).

As always, the class includes a snack and numerous activities that enforce good manners in a fun and interactive way – they’ll be in polite, school mode in no time

This Petite Protocol class with a twist is only offered for our smaller friends, ages 6-10. Cost is $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Reservations are required; please visit the Charleston Museum website for registration, or contact sthomas@charlestonmuseum.org for more information.

T-Minus one week until our Petite Protocol camp at The Gibbes Museum of Art!

Next week, June 21-25, is for kids ages 4 to 6; the June 28 – July 2 session the following week will be for all 7-12 year olds. While the camp will cover basic etiquette – introductions, thank you notes, table manners, etc – we will also focus on international manners and how to behave in a museum. The 1.5 hour daily camp (12:00 – 1:30) will include time for lunch, activities, and a lot of interactive learning!

There are still a few spaces open for both weeks, so head on over to the Gibbes website and register today!

We’ve just been busy bees recently at Southern Protocol! Amidst meetings with all of our wonderfully fabulous brides, etiquette classes and style mavens, we’ve had time to make appearances on all kinds of medias…. check us out in the following!

Kristen Hankla’s interesting Post and Courier article about the appropriateness of pet names to strangers and in the workplace. Read it, honey!

One of our sweet as sugar brides from this past March chose beautiful Coren Moore dresses for her bridesmaids, and then loved them so much she let them profile her wedding for the blog! We couldn’t be blushing more about the nice things Keiemi had to say about us Talk about pretty! Read Part One and Part Two.

Our Summerville Junior Cotillion wrapped up the other month, and the Cotillion Group was so proud they put their proper little pumpkins in the paper! See the Journal Scene article here.

As we head into the summer months, we’re heading into etiquette and manners camps! Local radio station WFCH Public Affairs interviewed Lizz and I about teaching little kids manners, and if they really DO enjoy it (answer: YES!). Their main goal was to advertise our upcoming camp with The Gibbes Art Museum. Click here for details on the camp, and here for a link to a clip of the interview!

Last Saturday we held Part II of our Petite Protocol program at The Charleston Museum. It was a huge success! It’s amazing how much these little ones can truly soak up during an hour and a half.

Last Saturday’s focus? Table manners! We covered both American and Continental styles of eating, place settings (no excuses when you ask them to help set the dinner table!), general table manners, finger foods… and of course tested their newly learned knowledge with a snack. A big thanks to The Charleston Museum and all of our polite children for making what we do so fabulous

See more pictures below! Interested in signing your child up for a manners lesson? We offer private workshops and polite parties that can be tailored to your desires. Southern Protocol will also have camps at both the Gibbes Museum and Hazel Parker this summer – see our “Behave” page or email contact@southernprotocol.com for details!

How many times have we heard in the past decade that chivalry is dead? That no boys or men open up doors, pull out chairs, or do their best to help an elderly woman cross the street (yes, stereotypical example – just work with us).

Well we at Southern Protocol beg to differ! It’s not that chivalry is dead, it’s that sometimes (sadly) it just isn’t considered “cool.” And since we’re lucky enough to be in the South, where learning proper etiquette and that chivalrous charm is a way of life, it’s even more important that we make it seem cool to use those manners. Enter heartthrob star of this month’s Dear John, Channing Tatum, who was quoted on InStyle.com saying the following about the importance of manners to a Southern man:

“It means EVERYTHING. We have better manners. The other day this lady’s umbrella blew away, and it just made sense to go and get it for her. Some men forget that.”

See? It’s not dead! Take a cue from Channing Tatum and go out of your way to remember what it means to be a good, polite person this month. Or just casually mention this story to the men in your life to jump start THEIR month of good deeds…

Tis the month of resolutions; “this year I will exercise more,” “this year I will drink more water,” or “this year I will not spend my rent money on that fabulous new pair of shoes.” Or something along those lines.

While most of your resolutions are surely perfect and (somewhat) attainable, Southern Protocol would like to suggest a little resolution for us all: Be polite. Be considerate. Be charming!

In today’s society, with all the non-personal forms of communication and incredibly busy day-to-day schedules, the simplest of manners often fall to the way-side. The fall of etiquette really is a shame – think of how much it means when you receive a handwritten thank you note, or someone you don’t know holds the door open for you. It’s the little things in life that count! Proper etiquette speaks volume about you as a person, and we could all do with a little conscious effort to maintain it.

Here’s a random sampling of ways to really increase your manners this year:

1. Give genuine compliments – something deeper than, “I just love that necklace!”
2. Complete a task around the house without your roommate/significant other asking you
3. Even when at a family meal, sit up straight and use proper table manners
4. Whenever you see a stranger on the street struggling with opening a door, picking up dropped items, etc., stop and help them out
5. As always, never underestimate the importance of “please” and “thank you”

So go out and show off those manners! (Please.)

There’s a common misconception that manners can magically disappear when you enter family functions. It’s family, right? Be comfortable! Don’t worry! Who cares! Right?

WRONG.

One of the most frequent questions about table manners we get from our little middle schoolers at Junior Cotillion is, “but I don’t have to do this at home, right?” It’s so sad that we’ve been trained to completely let etiquette go by the wayside when we’re in the comfort of our own home or a relative’s. While it’s not as though you’re in a four star restaurant, you should still be respectful of those around you.

The Top 5 Holiday Basics (five points out of a loooong list that everyone should refresh themselves with):
-Seriously, no slouching or elbows on the table while eating. Isn’t that one of the first things your mother taught you? Elbows on the table and relaxed postures are fine, however, once the meal is over and you’re enjoying some end-of-the-evening coffee.

-Proper etiquette states that you should wait for your host or hostess to begin eating before digging into your meal. Oftentimes the hostess will serve herself last, so you’ll have to wait a bit…but you’ve waited all year for that turkey and gravy, a few more minutes won’t kill you.

-Use your utensils properly! Cut your turkey meat one bit at a time, setting your fork and knife down while you chew. If you get a piece of something that you’d rather not eat, don’t stick your fingers in your mouth – use your fork to discreetly remove said piece and place it on the outside of your plate.

-If you are a guest, always take your plate to the kitchen and offer to help clean up. 

-Never bring any food or beverage that you expect to be part of the meal unless you have cleared it with your hostess. Asking in advance lets you know if a side or dessert is even necessary, and doesn’t put your hostess on the awkward or stressful spot the day-of.

All that being said and done, at the end of the day it is family. They’ll still love you (hopefully) even if you sneak a bite of your cranberries before hostess grandma, but let’s all give a little extra effort to be polite this holiday season. Not to mention you don’t want to be the black sheep gossip of the family…I find that family gossip is the most vicious! Save yourself this holiday season and put your manners smile on

Download the Summerville Junior Cotillion Forms