Once upon a time girls stopped wearing dresses to school and put on jeans and tie-dyed T-shirts. It was the Age of Aquarius, when old rules of behavior no longer seemed to apply. But now that the flower children have children of their own, they're starting to wonder what the new rules ought to be.
Manners expert Carol McD. Wallace, who has two sons of her own, comes to the rescue with a clear, contemporary guide to what today's parents should teach their children, when to teach it, and how to do so without turning their homes into boot camp. Here in Elbows Off the Table, Napkin in the Lap, No Video Games During Dinner, in the kind of knowing detail only a parent could offer, are step-by-step guides to:
—Basic Training: The dawn of civilized behavior, or how to teach 3- to 5-year-olds to behave at meals, say "please" and "thank you", share, and apologize.
—The Age of Reason: Refining the manners of 6- to 9-year-olds at home and abroad.
—The Young Sophisticate: How to bring the manners of 10- to 12-year olds to high polish.
—Manners for Parents: Everything from when it's okay to bring your child into work to privacy—your own and your children's.