Dawn Jumper: manners, consideration & confidence

Three Creative & Easy to Find Christmas Gifts for Just About Anyone on Your List

Counting down to Christmas! Each week in December, I'll be sharing some of my favorite gift-giving ideas with you. One of our family traditions with my husband's side is a Secret Santa gift exchange. 🎁 Not just one exchange but two in the same day- one before lunch and one after! We each bring one $25 gift and one $50 gift. Since my hubby and I have three kids, we have had several years of bringing ten gifts total. Now that our kids are older, they bring their own gifts! 🎉 I know … [Read More...]

How to Apologize (plus how to teach your kids this important skill)

No one is perfect, so let's talk about apologies. We have all been on the receiving side of a flip, insincere apology...and well, it just feels crummy to be apologized to in that way. We've all had to give an apology and while our hearts might be in the right place, apologizing can just feel...really hard! But it doesn't have to be hard. Take a few minutes to brush up on the steps to apologizing in a genuine, heartfelt way. This is an important skill to teach your kids! To help you, … [Read More...]

Why You Should Start a Manners Teaching Business

There are so many good reasons to start your own manners teaching business in your community. Here are few of my favorites. 1- You make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families through your manners classes. Manners teaching is a ray of light 🌞 in our often negative and self-centered culture. Good manners are based on consideration, kindness, and respect for others. Good manners have to be taught- we aren't born with them. As a manners teacher, you make the world a … [Read More...]

The Silent Signals of Silverware

An important foundation of good table manners is using silverware correctly. Knowing either the Continental or American method of eating, how to cut food correctly with the knife and fork, and the silent signals are all skills children can master with a little instruction and guidance. In this post, let's look at the silent signals of silverware. At your next meal, teach your family the silent signals. These can be learned quickly by even young children. Check out the four points below and … [Read More...]

your family’s Table Manners (I can help!)

Why are table manners so important? Good table manners set the foundation for other important manners like respect for others, self-confidence, and being considerate. Manners learning starts at the family table! As our children grow and leave the nest, they need to be ready for important events that take place while dining like celebrations, meetings, interviews, dates, and business networking. No one is born knowing good manners, so it's up to us parents to teach them to our children. Not … [Read More...]

How to Create a Memory Making Family Dinner Table

I believe in the power of family dinners. Eating together is about so much more than getting food on the table and feeding hungry stomachs. Dinnertime can be a refreshing pause in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives whether the meal is takeout pizza or a homemade four-course meal. With a little creativity, you can create a family table that encourages sharing, relaxation, and connection. Here are some ideas to inspire you: Create Ambiance There’s a reason the very best restaurants … [Read More...]

How to Introduce Yourself (& Teach Your Kids this important skill)

It's normal for young people to feel nervous when meeting new people, but there's really no need to be. "How to introduce yourself" is an important skill that doesn't come naturally to most of us. With some instruction and practice, it will become a part of your children's everyday habits. Everyone is impressed with a young person who takes the initiative in social situations and introduces herself. Use The Recipe for a Great Introduction and teaching your children how to introduce themselves … [Read More...]

How I Started My Manners Teaching Business

Rewind with me to 2010. My kids were getting older and more independent so I wanted (and needed!) to find a way to contribute to my family’s finances. Life is expensive when you have three kids! But I was really conflicted- I didn’t want to miss out on volunteering at their school and going to their track meets, football games and such. Plus I love being home when they are, so I wasn’t willing to give up my summers and holidays with them. I needed a part-time job that offered flexible hours … [Read More...]

Pizza Manners…is there such a thing?

Did you know that pizza has its own day? National Pizza Day is February 9th! 🍕 My family loves pizza! How do you eat pizza with good manners? Is it even possible? YES! You just do the best you can depending upon where you are and what you have to work with. Most pizza nights, my family is gathered around the kitchen island, eating pizza on paper plates. Pizza night is a "we're too busy to cook and do dishes night" or "we're starving and craving pizza night". Follow these guidelines … [Read More...]

Power Words

When my kids were young, they watched Barney, that big purple dinosaur, every morning on PBS. One Barney song still lingers in my mind. Odd I know, but it's a really catchy tune. 🎵 Please and thank you- they're called the magic words. If animals could talk, you'd hear the fishes and the birds Saying please and thank you- they're called the magic words... Repeat chorus over and over and over and over... Barney was right- please and thank you are magic. And so is You're Welcome. And so is … [Read More...]

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