Greetings!
You’ve been missed! I’m glad to be back!
Allow me to fill you in on all the latest in McKee Land!
(If you want to skip right to the etiquette part of this post, you’ll find the first bold blue title farther down the page.)
When I went on vacation last month, I didn’t think it would be so long until we chatted! One week, quick as a wink, turned into one month! Wow!
Summer + kids = Mommy has no time to form coherent sentences, let alone download them on the blog!
Plus, my boys have developed a strange physical condition along with their summer growth spurts: constant hunger! Take a look at my daily routine and see if you relate!
1. Wake up.
2. Let the dog outside.
3. Feed the boys.
4. Listen to my first chorus of, “Mom, I’m bored!” while I’m cleaning the breakfast dishes.
5. Get dressed, make the bed, and ask the boys to clean their room.
6. Answer e-mails and take care of a household task or two.
7. Listen to, “Mom, I’m hungry! When’s lunch?” (By the way, it’s only about 11:15 AM! How can they be so hungry already?!)
8. Fix lunch.
9. Clean up lunch while listening to the second chorus of our family anthem, “Mom, I’m bored!”
10. Say, “Mom needs to get a little work done.” Get the boys doing something constructive. OK, at least something semi-constructive! OK… I’m not above an episode or two of SpongeBob.
11. Fifteen minutes later hear, “Mom, I’m still bored. What else can I do?”
12. Give the boys chores. Boys disappear so they don’t have to do chores. This buys me 30 minutes. Yeah!
13. Boys start getting into snacks. So, I stop what I’m doing and fix them a healthy (OK, semi-healthy) alternative.
14. After their snack I ask them to stop playing video games and finish the chores I gave them earlier.
15. Get in about 45 minutes of work. (Wish they were young enough to still take naps!)
16. Hear, “Mom, I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”
17. Look up and see that’s its 4:30 PM and time to start dinner.
18. About 5:45 PM, Kent, my husband, comes home. “Hi, Honey! That smells great, what’s for dinner? I’m hungry! By the way, did you get another chapter of your book written today?"
19. Remind myself that he’s being encouraging and simply smile and say, “Dinner’s ready! Let’s eat!”
20. Clean the kitchen, work on laundry, e-mails, and so on. Thank the Lord for a loving family, a home, healthy children and food to feed them! Go to sleep so I can do it again tomorrow!
Of course, none of that has anything to do with etiquette. It’s just that now that I’ve vented I can concentrate on more gracious matters!
I really have missed you!
Etiquette, yes! I’m back on track now!
Want to hear about something that happened to me that made me angry? Well… angry isn’t the right word. I guess I was more sad than angry.
Troy Schmidt, the fantastic screenwriter for the multi-million selling Hermie® DVDs (Note to Troy: You didn’t say it; I did, so it’s a compliment, not bragging!) and I have written a series of children’s books for ages 4-8 about a magical cat, Miss Eticat’s Guide to Purrfect Manners®! (Honestly, you have to think that’s the cutest title you’ve ever heard!)
Well… Our agent sent the first three manuscripts to a Christian publishing house. The editor liked the books! Great news!
Bottom line… she wouldn’t publish them.
Her reason, Moms, even Christian moms, she said, don’t care about manners. It’s a dead issue. Moms today don’t like authority figures. They aren’t going to want Miss Eticat showing their children how to act she explained.
Etiquette dead?!
Moms, don’t care?! Mom’s don’t teach or value kind interactions anymore?
So my fellow mom… is she right? Is that how you feel?
Has Miss Eticat lived her nine lives?
Are manners and the idea that we would purposely interact with kindness too gentle, others-centered, and archaic for our fast-paced, in-your-face, survive-or-be-thrown-off-the-island society?
It’s a sad but increasingly common belief.
Many view manners as a mask that hide impulses and ill passions. They reason that they make a show of virtues not really existing in the heart. They equate manners with hypocrisy.
Sadly, examples are easy to find. The polished family-values politician caught in an affair. The gracious used car salesman who shakes your hand and sells you what he knows is a lemon. The friendly husband and father publically extolled by church and community who privately abuses his family. All outwardly well-mannered; inwardly, all false to the core.
In that case, is being “real” even if our real selves are crude, self-centered, and cruel, better virtue than “false” manners?
Here’s the common confusion and the answer. Etiquette and manners are two different things. They tend to be lumped together. To be understood, they must be separated.
What are manners?
Manners are the language of our truest self. Their foundation is anchored in our heart. They can't be faked.
Kind manners are our regard for the feelings and comfort of others. Manners are the hidden fruit that our spirit yields. Hopefully it includes a healthy crop of kindness, gentleness, self-control, patience… the list continues.
Don’t be fooled; when expressed properly, manners never cause us to become a doormat. Instead, we’re a beacon in an unsteady world.
Those who doubt that anyone is truly kind mannered think it’s too much trouble and hard work themselves. They label it “false” or “put-on” and mock its benefits. They’re right in one way. It requires continuous effort.
It’s a virtue, and like any virtue it’s never too late to acquire it for ourselves.
How to add a virtue? First prayerfully desire it; second practice it until it becomes the rule instead of the exception in your interactions. Once grounded in your heart, it becomes an attribute and no longer a mask.
What is etiquette?
Etiquette comes from outside of us and changes by century, nation, and situation. It’s written in sand not stone. It’s never outdated because it continually evolves to meet the needs and sensibilities of the current generation. (That’s why I research and write all that I do for you and me!)
What is the value and importance of etiquette?
It’s our ticket to interacting with ease, graciousness, and confidence. It’s the vehicle that delivers the unseen fruit of our spirit (our good manners) in our interactions.
To be more than window dressing in our lives, it must be expressed in the words we say and the things we do every day, everywhere with everybody! It's not meant to be saved up to impress certain certain people or show off at special events.
Examples of incorporating etiquette in our daily interactions include writing thank you notes, saying, “Excuse me, please!” when we reach in front of someone, wishing the person on the other end of the phone a great day… and meaning it, responding promptly when someone sends you an invitation so they’re not left wondering if they should prepare for you or not, knowing when to stand and when to sit.
The list goes on and on. In fact when compiled it’s called an “Etiquette Book,” or in our case, an “Etiquette Blog!”
It’s meant to please ourselves and others. It's the outward expression of our inward kindness.
Etiquette is the "form" our manners take.
Form matters… a lot!
Ask a successful CEO, athlete, singer, or chef; they’ll agree. There’s always “best practices” and room for improvement. That’s why Tiger Woods doesn't have one golf coach… he has three!
What happened to our collective good manners?
In the last decades, through the turbulent sixties, the feel-good, me-first seventies, the Brat Pack questioning of the eighties (I saw all those movies in junior high and high school!), the lavish spending of the nineties, and now with the uncertainties and fear brought on by terrorism and economic recession of this decade, our society (Maybe not me and you so much!) have made a slow trade.
We've traded our good manners for an "edge."
The rougher, more raw and more real the edge the better. Some reason that it helps them belong to and at the same time protects them from our harsh and crude culture. What it really does is bruise us and those we encounter. It is the smoothness of manners that blunts the edges and polishes the whole of our interactions.
There were hypocrites in biblical times, there are today, there will always be. Don’t let them dismay us from cultivating the virtue of kindness in ourselves and our children, and expressing it through etiquette in every encounter with the form of an ambassador.
An ambassador for ourselves, our family, our church, and the services or organizations we represent.
Etiquette dead? No way!
Moms we don't tend to roll over and give up when the times are harsh, do we? What we need now more than ever is an extra dose of kind manners and etiquette! For ourselves, and for our children!
Will You Do Me a Favor?
I miss hearing from you!
Hop over to the blog right now and leave a comment. Let the world know you value manners and etiquette! Are good manners dead? Do moms care? Would you welcome a fun, funny, wise, and loving mentor like Miss Eticat on your child's bookshelf? (http://www.mannersmentorblog.com/)
See you soon with a post on texting. I’m using it more than I thought I would! If you are too, then you’ll enjoy this one. “Five Things You Want to Know and Do When Texting.” It’s going to be fun and informative!
I value and appreciate each of you! You're the greatest and I love connecting with you. I could sure use some more readers. We have a big etiquette message to deliver to the world. Please forward my blog to your friends and loved ones!
PS: A special thank you and a giant hug to Ms. Christy Jordan and Mr. Bill Gent—two beacons of graciousness, kindness, and encouragement in the world at large and especially in my world! I appreciate you both so very much!
Blessings,
38 comments:
How sweet you are! I am so sorry about your book. No doubt something I will be experiencing soon too. I have no doubt I was supposed to meet you and Christy for a reason.
There IS a place for Manners and Etiquette in todays society. People have enough bad news pounding them everyday. People are out there screaming for acceptance and tolerance today, but rarely do these same people give it. Your suggestions give me tools to help bless them anyway. Thank you!
Thanks for your sweet comment about the book! I know Miss Eticat will find a publisher in the near future.
As for your stories (and podcasts?, please!) the day is coming when we'll stand in line at your book signing swooning and waving signs that read, "King of Stories." I'll be in the front of the line!
Thank you for saying that the etiquette suggestions you read here give you tools to help bless people. That's my goal in doing all I do! You've made my day!
All my best,
Maralee
Well, I am sufficiently horrified, to say the least! How could anyone, mother or not, who cares in the slightest about others not value manners?
Manners are the cornerstone of kindness, an expression of the most basic caring about other human beings! The sad fact in the matter (yes, I just stated that it is a fact, I am THAT confident) is that the publisher who viewed the books does not care about manners. I bet all it would take were a few doors slammed in her face, rather than being held open by kind strangers, to bring her around. This is so sad, Maralee. I am mourning with you over this but please don't lose heart. I assure you that kindness and manners are not dead across the board, we are the silent majority. The sad minority has managed to rise to the top in some positions - as in the case of this publisher. I really feel for the poor person and it bothers me to think of what their life must be like for them to turn their back on basic human kindness. I think he/she needs our very best wishes and hopes directed his/her way in hopes that things change for them soon.
I would gladly pre-order the entire series of books for my children and myself, I'd have to have three sets you know! One for each child and one for me to keep to read to my grandchildren.
For me, teaching my children manners is a selfish endeavor. I know that having good manners will enable them to be better people, live fuller lives, and achieve a level of happiness simply not available to someone who chooses to live a live void of consideration for others. I'm a selfish person, I want my children to have everything they could have ever dreamed, and I know that unless I raise them to be considerate and compassionate towards others, that will never happen.
I hope I've made sense here. Now a threat ~giggles~. If you don't go shopping those books around to a publisher who has the good sense to publish them, I'm gonna come down to Florida and hang you up by your pinky toes until you come to your senses!
Love ya, Maralee. Thank you for all that you bring into the world. It is a better place because of your presence.
Gratefully,
Christy
~steps down from her soap box and picks it up by it's little rope handle, swinging it over her shoulder to use for another day~
Thank you for your heartfelt defense of manners!
You're right, like you, I'm selfish when it comes to my children. I want to give them every skill they'll need to thrive on their own one day!!
Teaching and requiring them to be other centered, gracious and giving is selfish on my part, too. It's constant work and tiring for sure, but I know it will take them further than any PHD.
They'll be happier, more liked, and more content in life when they live it with a continual interest in the comfort and convenience of those around them.
As for the publisher, I never met her or talked to her. She might be the sweetest lady in town!
She has a tough job. Perhaps her decision was strickly a business one. "Will people buy these books?"
I do beleive she did underestimate the value todays' moms place on timeless skills. They just want them updated so that they make sense for our fast paced, techno-savvy, casual culture, and that's exactly what we did with Miss Eticat! As a mom of young children I want these skills to be ones that will impact their real lives, not some country club, tea with the Queen, bow and curtsey fairy tale life.
Plus, all the stories are from real experiences in my home. I figure if they're happing at our house, they're happening at other peoples' houses, too.
Things like, bathroom noises at the table, playing with their best friend at their birthday party and ignoring other guests, table manners that are a little scary, not saying, "Thank you" enough, having to be reminded to use their "polite" words when they're old enough to not have to be reminded, and so on.
Getting published is always hard; getting published in this economy is harder; having children's books published is hardest.
We've just begun our publisher quest in earnest after making a few fun changes to Miss Eticat. I know she'll find a happy home, both with a publisher, and in the hearts of moms and little children!
Move over Barney! The cat is coming! :)
PS: In the back of each book, as a bonus, I added the adult version of each of the skills covered in the story. As a mom it's always fun to learn something new, or find out you've been right all along!
Thank you again Christy for sharing your heart!
Now, please don't hang me up by my toes, or at least wait until I get a pedicure! My toes don't look their best today!! They need a good coat of "Pampered Pink" or some such color. How do they come up with those polish names? That's the job I want!! Easy money for sure there!!!
How sad that people think manners and etiquette are dead! I for one would happily buy those books. My little sister needs them!
About that soap box...the one with the cute handle...may we please borrow it for a couple of days?!
Yours is so nice and all...and I think there's about to be a bunch of mannerly moms and other people asking ever so nicely to use it! :)
Unfortunately Manners as we know them do appear to be dead. I despise it. I thought moving down south that I would find an improvement, how ever other than using mam and sir, around here it seems manners and etiquette are thrown completely out the window. In four years I have only seen one thank you card and that was the one I sent out for my baby shower. Its truely sad. We need a Manners/ etiquette revival!
It's sad when public (and private) acts of kindness seem to become the exception instead of the rule. The one up side...as they become more rare they become more cherished.
I make it my mission to be the cool breeze in the days of the people I meet.
People have about run over themselves to thank me for being nice. Especially people who work with the general public. Cashiers, waiters, fast food associates, and last month the lady at the DMV. (She said I was so nice she took my driver's license photo three times till we got one I like...well one that appears at least to be humanoid!)
At Starbucks (different locations) I've been given free coffee four times. Really! Each time, the barista said something like, "You're the only nice person I've waited on this week."
One lady started to cry as I was chatting with her. She said another customer had just called her, "stupid" becuase she had not fixed her coffee quickly enough.
So, keep blowing the cool breeze of kindness, it brings comfort to you and to those around you!
Thanks again Brittainy!
Maralee, you have a warmth about you that I imagine makes you a true beacon to everyone around you.
Oooh, Maralee, You will find a publisher for those books. I just know you will. I can hardly wait! I want them to read to my little grandchildren. I feel the same way you do about manners.
Love & blessings,
Hattie
Good morning, I truly enjoyed your posting today regarding whether manners are dead. As a child, my mother was very gracious and we grew up treating all our guests in a way that made them feel comfortable. My husband's daughters were brought up to speak their mind. I think that is very good in some circumstances, however, during the holidays when they visit, they tell me where they are going to sleep (I have already made a nice room for them, but they don't want to sleep there because there is no TV), drink too much and use foul language, I am horrified and saddened. I say very little or nothing because they are my invited guest, but I would never do the same. I just try to divert the conversations. I think that many younger people feel that profanity is funny and okay. I do wonder how we have changed...where are the manners? My daughter, like me, feels that others seem to take advantage of our hospitality to impose themselves. These are all well-educated people. Oh, by the way, I will move or buy a TV for the guest bedroom.
What an honor that you would want to read the books to your granchildren!
I hope you get the chance to introdice them to Miss Eticat and her magical warmth that shows children how to interact with ease, confidence and kindness in their encoutners.
Isn't it nice to learn these things as little ones, instead of being asked by a future boss to attend one of my executive coaching sessions.
Sad thing is, I teach jsut about the same skills. The only thing that changes is the tone of my voice and my vocabulary choices.
Bottom line, what's right at 7 years old is right at 47 years old and beyond!
Thea earlier we learn, the farther along we are in being at ease and proactive in our encouters.
Thank you again Hattie! I'll send you an autographed copy when they're published!
Imagine a world without manners? Chaos would reign, I'm sure. Someone will publish this, and I'll buy it and pass it along to all of my friends. No manners are not dead. Since I have only boys, I wonder if you could modify it -- say to the Eticat Twins? My guys would respond more quickly if at least one character was male. Maybe that's the next book? Good luck and welcome back.
You're handling the situation well! You're not allowing thier lack of graciousness to allow you to change your standards.
Plus, you're setting an excellent example. Now since these are children, (even if they were adults) you can share nicely the rules and standards in your own home.
When in Rome, while we want to be accomodating to others, they must be bending to "do as the Romans."
Boundaries are always polite, and prevent your graciousness from becoming a doormat they wipe their demands on.
Keep being the beacon of graciousnees in their lives! When they're grown and mature enough to appreiciate it's benefits they'll thank you for it. If not in word, than, hopefully in impersanation!!
PS: You're not the bellman at the Ritz. Don't feel you need to put a TV in their guest room. As long as you provide other activities, and opportunities for interaction and conversation with you and your husband, a TV isn't mandatory :) No one, not even a teenager, has ever passed away from lack of sitcoms and cartoons!
Say it's not so! I could not believe it and had to go back and read your post again. What christian publisher in their right mind would not want this book. I agree with Christy and her cute soap box! Press on.
So glad to hear you like the book idea and would buy them for your boys and pass them along to your friends!! Thank you so much!!
Not to worry about Miss Eticat being too girly! She's the wise mentor who gives both boys and girls wise mentoring. I have two sons, and my co-author Troy has 3 sons so we ahve lots of personal experience when it comes to manners and boys!
The children Miss Eticat mentors differ in each story. She arives at a destination to help a child just at the moment he or she nedds it the most!
Not to woryy, they're equal numbers of boys and girls in the series. We didn't want to play favorites! :)
Thank you again for your sweet comments! We'll definitley have her show up to help some twins or triplets in one or more of the stories, that would be extra fun! She's gong to be one busy kitty!
Someone definitely needs to explain to people the right way to act in public. I went to a college graduation last year where the students were in line for the processional shouting at people in the audience, then talking on their cell phones and wearing their sunglasses thru-out the ceremony. Of course, it was obvious where the students learned it because the family and friends in the audience were standing on chairs waving across the room to other family and friends. What in the world!?? In another "what were they thinking", I was at the funeral of a dear friend where people came dressed in cocktail dresses, torn blue jeans, and even leggings and go-go boots.
Some people, reading this, might think what does that have to do with etiquette? But to me it is more example of how we have stopped caring - about being polite and respectful.
Your sweet encouragement fortifies Troy, our agent and myself to keep on the journey till we find a publishing home!
I'm happy that you're joining with us to let the world know that no one took a vote to do away with good manners!
You and I and all of us who care will keep being the standard bearers till everyone catches etiquette fever!
Thank you again Cindy!
I can believe about the graduation and funeral actions. I've been in similar situations and witnessed about the same thing. Including someone talking on their cell phone during the viewing for a very dear friend of mine who had died.
Sadly, the general public (Not our blog family members!) too often adapt to the social norms of the moment without questioning if it's the best for them. Or, maybe it all happens so slowly (decline in etiquette over the last 40 years) that they're not even really aware of it.
A very smart ethicist once said when that occurs it's "acquiescence, not agreement." I fear that's what has happened to us today.
He went on to say,"Conformity does not imply consent. It simply attests to the incluence of one's neighbors."
The best way to impact our current society is to begin with ourselves and then to determine to raise our childen to the best of our prayer-filled ability to live their lives by a higher calling! One of kindness towards others expressed through words, bold actions of love and concern, and small scarifices of momentary restraint in public (texting, cell phones, shouting, etc.) for the comfort of those around them!
Thank you again for writing!
Maralee, I'm new to your blog. Thank you Christy J. for pointing us in the right direction. As a former teacher who tried to teach basic manners, I would have loved a book to share with my students. The only book in our library was a 1955 book that was taken out and I got it out of the garbage. We had to teach character education and this would be very good books to use during this time. Scholastic Book Clubs would be a good place for your books. I'm not sure what their plublication part is called. Check with Scholastic. I can't wait to see them in print. I have 3nieces and 1 nephew that I buy books for. Good Luck. Sandra C. in Moulton, AL (no google account)
First off, welcome to the blog family! I'm glad you've joined and hope you'll love it here. If I do say so myself, we're a friendly bunch!
It's sad that as a teacher the only etiquette book you had to share with your class was one from 1955, and even then you had to dig it out of the trash. (That was very kind of you!) You really cared about your students!
Thank you for the suggestion of Scholastic Books. You're right, they would be a perfect match. I know teachers would love sharing each of the stories, one a week during circle time!
We already have 31 Miss Eticat titles outlined so there will be a story to prepare children for just about any situation they're likely to encounter.
I have even more stories for her circling around in my head waiting for clearance from ground control to land!
There will be lots more Miss Eticat in the years ahead!
Thank you for your encouragment, and again welcome to the blog! I really appreciate you being here, and I look forward to getting to know you in the months ahead!
Blessings,
Maralee
Dear Maralee,
I realize I don't know all the details concerning the publisher and your proposal, but I am very surprised that such a common necessity in child-training would be rejected as unwanted! In our preschool ministry, we focus on basic etiquette such as, "please" for sharing, "thank you" to recognize another's generosity and "no thank you" instead of pushing or yelling, in the earliest of years. In fact, we intentionally focus on these simple phrases before they can even speak their first words in an effort to train the attitude of those words! I hope this small example may be of some encouragement or incentive for different avenues to check other publishers...
The 2010 copy of Kaplan Early Learning Company's product catalog( www.2by2toys.com ), featuring P.K. Hallinan's "Let's..." Book Series. This Series includes titles such as: Let's Be Patient, Let's Be Kind, Let's Share and Let's Be Polite.
Thank you for all you do and please continue to encourage genuine grace in our society, families and children.
What an amazing thing for that woman to say! I am a babyboomer and tried very hard to instill into my children all the manners that were taught to me by my mother, grandmothers and all other elder members of the family.
My kids are in thier 20's and send "Thank You" cards for gifts or services received by others, as do I.
How do people know how you feel if you don't send a note??
I believe you are correct, that woman didn't care about manners and was "shoving" her ideas onto the whole reading world...I hope you are able to find some other publisher that won't put his/her bias in your way.
Manners are desperately needed in our present culture! Though manners may not be getting to the heart attitude, they definitely set the stage to "build each other up" and "honor all people" as the children of God are called to live out.
Your Miss Eticat books sound wonderful! I love that you have something at the end for us adults! I sure hope you find a publisher that will recognize the value in books that teach manners and etiquette. My boys are 26 and (almost) 29 and I would have loved to have books such as these as they were growing up. I have a quote on my refrigerator that says "Everything you do, says something about who you are"! I don't know who originally said it but it is one of my favorites!
What a great service you did for your children instilling in them while they were young the understanding that no one reads their hearts or minds. Having good intentions is where all of us need to start, and too many of us stop! Only when we express our consideration for the other person in word and action do we bless them!
"Everything you do says something about who you are!" Love, love that quote! Thank you for sharing it and also thnak you for saying you like that we included the adult pages at the end of each Miss Eticat story! It lets me know I'm on the right track.
Since the books wern't around when your children we're growing up, we'll have to get them out in time for any future grandbabies that might be comning your way!:)
How is one of the sweetest ladies I know? Hope that you, your husband and the three Goble girls are doing well!
As always, your words are so wise! Manners set the stage for building up and honoring one another.
They're cornerstones for living a life of graciousness, kindness and concern for others.
PS: I miss talking to you and seeing the girls! Just like my boys, I'm sure your girls are growing too big and too fast for. I wish I could turn the clock back about five years! (Well...some days I do!!)
I was amazed to read that the publisher stated that people don't care about manners and etiquette. Without manners and etiquette the world would be in chaos. I feel that people that have manners and etiquette are looked upon and treated more favorably than people who do not.
I volunteer at a local elementary school and feel that your Miss Eticat series should be in each elementary school's library. Heck, I would love to read the Miss Eticat books.
You were kind to e-mail! Thanks for joining the conversation!
You're right, etiquette does prevent choas. It does it by keeping us all playing from the same playbook.
It's so encouraging to read that with your school library experience you would like to see Miss Eticat in every school, and read them, too! Thanks for the great compliment!
Oh Maralee! First of all it is so good to have your blog posts back :) Great reminders of manners are needed when you are a busy mommy like me :) That being said, manners are very much a necessity! I am looking forward to your books for myself and for my darling daughter and son {and baby #3} :)
Everything works together for those who LOVE the Lord--we already know that much :)
Maralee,
My Grandmother is 96 and still talks about how important social graces and manners are to succeeding in our world and not just financial success but relational success. It is sad to think that there would be so many people in the world that would not think that manners don't matter. Maybe we can not all have every single manner for every situation perfected or tucked away to pull out at just the right moment, but we can certainly keep striving and learning to show our love and respect for others. Manners should express from our hearts the sentiments of thoughtfulness and consideration and not just be used to impress upon others what we believe to be right. Show them our love by our actions and let their hearts be turned to desire to learn and do the same. Your sweet, honest, practical and humble approach to manners will continue to turn hearts...and prayerfully those books will get published. :)
I cannot believe that those publishers believe Etiquette is not what a parent wants!! I am a mother of 3 kids; a 13yr old, 6yr old and 4yr old. I would buy those books in a heart beat. Manners are so important and it starts from home. That kind of thinking is why society is losing manners. We need books like the ones you are writing. Please don't give up and let us know when they are published. I enjoy your blog very much. Thank you for your time and committment to writing all that you do!
Hey, Maralee! Not a lot of time today, but just wanted to chime in and let the out=of=touch publisher and the rest of the world know that YES, WE MOMS(WOMEN, CHRISTIANS)CARE ABOUT MANNERS! Manners are really an expression of Christian love and kindness, and our children need all the teaching we can give them about this very important part of life here on earth. Thanks for all your hard work in this area! Have a great day! MaryC
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Hello and thank you for being part of the conversation! I'm glad and honored you're here and I read and relish each of your notes!