Being Considerate
Face it. Things do not always go your way. But the grace with which you handle the situation will be remembered far longer than the flavor of ice cream you so desparately wanted.
As a parent, I can tell you that there are many times I have had to say, “No” to my children but did not feel it appropriate to explain the reason why at the moment. My reason may have hurt a hostesses feelings or may have been an inappropriate subject to talk about in public.
What I truly appreciate in that moment is when my children accept my “No” and move on. Later, I may share my reasons, if they are interested. But in the moment I am relieved that the mood of the event was not negatively impacted by “Why? Why? But I don’t understand why!” or “Please, can I? Oh, come on. Pleeeeease.”
In general, parties and other events are not places for disagreements. It is best to save heated discussions or arguments for when you have more privacy. An argument brings a noticable tension to the whole room.
A few more points about being considerate of others’ feelings:
- Don’t whisper. Whoever can see you but not hear you will assume you are saying something terrible about them.
- Don’t call people names or point out their faults.
- Find ways to include those who seem left out.
Remember the Golden Rule and treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Tags: children, education, Manners, people skills
Manners, Uncategorized | lifeskills | April 15, 2009
