10 Hot Etiquette Tips for Summer

1. Remember to respond to those summer party invitations in a timely manner and teach your children to do the same.

2. No splashing water on others in swimming pools and immediately stop when you hear a lifeguard whistle. In addition, do not allow horseplay or running around the pool.

3. Please teach your children to say thank you to their camp counselors, babysitters, bus drivers and any special guests who visit them this summer. I am a parent volunteer at my son’s preschool camp this summer and I am so impressed with the manners I see from his classmates while we are on field trips!

4. Children should send a handwritten thank-you note for any gifts they receive within a week of the event. They should also send a thank-you note to the host when they are invited on a special outing this summer.

5. Let your child, even if she is a preschooler, set the table for each meal. They will learn the correct way to do it after a few times and they will feel like a VIP for being old enough to help you. Cookouts and barbecues are a perfect time for them to practice.

6. Please observe proper dress codes of stores and restaurants after you leave the beach and swimming pool. Some places do not allow flip-flops or swim attire. Keep an extra set of clothes in the car, just in case.

7. Teach your preschoolers and young children how to dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency. My son was able to learn how to do this in just one day, so children can be taught this life-saving step. I periodically ask him what he would do in case I fell down the steps and Daddy wasn’t around. I actually slipped on ice on my front steps last winter, but thankfully I was able to reach my cell phone to call my husband who was in the house and I was fine. My son still remembers that day and says he would call 9-1-1 for me if I ever fall again.

8. Please teach your children how to act appropriately at amusement parks, zoos, parks, beaches, and other places they may visit this summer. This includes waiting patiently while standing in line at amusement parks, respecting the landscape and respecting others while enjoying their outing.

9. Please remind your child to have good sportsmanship while playing games this summer. This includes everything from shaking hands with players during a championship soccer game to keeping a game of Scrabble friendly during family game night.

10. Have fun, stay safe and remember to mind your manners each day!