Etiquestions

I have an acquaintance who I see a lot at social events. It is her birthday this week. What is the etiquette about giving birthday gifts to people you know but they are not exactly close friends?

I think it is always great to be kind in little ways A birthday gift that is small but thoughtful is always a great gesture Pay attention to what your acquaintance likes Maybe the person likes a certain color If so, you could find a scarf or a jewelry piece in that color As long as the gift is thoughtful, it will be appreciated

It is finally summer, and I am excited to spend time with my kids and their summer activities. We have signed up for several camps and have already begun one. However, I am not super happy with the way most of the other Moms bring their children to camp super late. It really delays all the other campers from getting started with the day’s activities. Is there some sort of rule of thumb when it comes to arriving on time for events?

Punctuality is a very important topic of etiquette for the reasons you just gave . When we are late for events, we delay the start of the event for all the others who arrive on time Teaching our children how to be on time is a valuable lesson that will help them later in life and work A great rule of thumb is to always plan to arrive about 15 minutes before an event begins That will allow for time for traffic, parking, etc It is ok to arrive early and wait in the car That is a much better alternative than arriving late and delaying everyone else Happy summer!

I have a family member who has become increasingly negative and angry as she has gotten older. While I love her dearly and don’t want to agitate her, she is becoming more and more difficult for me to be around. Are there any etiquette rules for handling such a situation? This family member often accompanies me to social events, and I get uncomfortable with her train of thought and conversations. Help, what do I do?

Change the Subject! One of the most powerful etiquette communication lessons is learning how to change the subject in any given conversation in a way that does not seem rude Changing the subject can be challenging, but it is a powerful skill One of the best ways to change the subject is to select another topic of conversation and just begin talking about it You can usually begin with, “Oh! Before I forget ” You will want to change the subject to talk about something your family member loves For example, talk about children or grandchildren, as they can rarely do anything wrong Changing the subject allows everyone to enjoy time and conversations with each other and is a great way to show consideration for others

Barbara Baggerly-Hinojosa, Ph.D. is a wife, mother, and educator living in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University with a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies. In addition, she holds an Associate of Arts degree in Education from McLennan Community College, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas – Pan American, and a Master of Arts in Educational Supervision from the University of Texas – Pan American. Dr. Baggerly-Hinojosa’s current research is focused on servant leadership, gender issues in leadership, and leadership communication. www.leadershipempowermentgroup.com