Raising Teens Discussion with @lisagache
When working with Young Boys what are the highlights you see when they first walk into your Program and the Growth when they conclude your Program? The most interesting highlight for me is how much the boys take to learn this education, sometimes more than the girls! They just eat up these tips and tools and are proud to display them. Many transform from these disheveled looking boys with their shoulders rounded, eyes looking down, and shuffling their way through class into polished gentlemen who take pride in sitting up straight or holding their knife and fork the right way. There’s a new brightness they possess and that’s exciting to see.
How can we as Parents help our Boys feel Confident and help nurture them? It is not an easy task as there are so many mixed messages with regard to exhibiting masculinity and displaying chivalrous behavior. We want to give them the tools to be respectful, mindful, and courteous so that they are constantly aware of the world around them whether it is to help a lady put on her coat or to offer an elderly person a seat on a crowded bus. The trick is to help them find the balance between being natural without tripping over themselves.
What Etiquette insights can you share about Everyday Social Behavior and Civic Behavior? Everyday social behavior is critical to getting along with others and enjoying life. We don’t live in a bubble and so it is always in our best interest to be pleasant and positive in order to get to the end goal which is to be likeable. Real likeability in person, not pretend likeability on social media. With regard to civic behavior, we are in desperate need of citizens who possess an open-mind, who can conduct a civil conversation especially with those who have a difference of opinion, and who are able to maintain calm in the face of chaos.
For our Young Girls, what is it we as Parents need to encourage them to do more of? When it comes to young girls, the majority of parents simply see more ladylike behavior. They want the girls to come across a bit more polished and poised not for the sake of vanity, but more as a sign of respect for themselves and others.
Do Girls have different Etiquette styles than Boys? The content we teach is the same for both girls and boys because it’s all rooted in respect which is universal. The only content that is significantly different are the ladylike and chivalrous behaviors. For example, we may teach a girl how to gracefully pick up something from the floor and a boy how to properly pull out a chair for a lady at the table.
What inspires you about Both how Tweens and Teens evolve during your Program? I am inspired by both large and small ways in which our Tweens and Teens evolve during the course of our programs. Whether they work with us to improve their interviewing skills and then receive a spot at their first-choice school or to learn formal dining skills and then try their first piece ever of cooked salmon. Both significantly increase their self-esteem.
Tell us about how your journey began? Actually, I did not grow up with this information. My parents were not necessarily rule-followers and so I naturally gravitated towards some semblance of order to make up for what I felt was lacking at home. Many years later, when I got pregnant with my second daughter, I came across a class at The Hotel Bel Air called “Petite Protocol”. I had been working as a baby concierge at the time helping families with all their child needs and called the hotel to inquire about the class for my clients. The PR firm for the hotel answered and the publicist and I got into a long conversation about the great need for etiquette education in this neck of the woods. The rest, as they say, is history. You can read the full story of my journey in my book or download the audio on Audible.
Can you share with us what you hope Tweens and Teens take away from your Program? The goal with all of our programs is two-pronged. One, we want all our clients to feel comfortable and confident in any and all situations. And two, we want them to learn to put other people at ease. Both of these prongs working together in equal portions are integral to happiness and success.