A Class in Etiquette

This week Lexi attended etiquette school - it was an amazing experience. I cannot speak highly enough of Mrs. Newfield, owner of The American School of Protocol. Lexi came home each day and bubbled over with excitement in recalling each day's lesson and the table-scape which greeted them upon arrival. Mrs. Newfield and her staff go above and beyond in decorating the table each day with a different type of decor, china, crystal and silver. The picture above is the table as it appeared today upon our arrival. There were over 150 roses and chrysanthemums and china circa 1860.

The class culminates with a fancy 5 course dinner at a private club in Atlanta. The children put all of their manners to the test along with table etiquette. They are required to come to the dinner with a speech prepared on a country of choice along with topics of conversation in which to engage other adults. Parents do not attend and the children are instructed not to speak to wait staff but, to use the table etiquette they learned to signal when they were finished or just taking a break from eating. This part worried me when I first heard it - I could not imagine by 8 year old being comfortable with all this. To my surprise, not only was she comfortable but, she had a marvelous time impressing her dinner companions with her knowledge of Ireland and her ability to speak Gaelic.

Today was Parent Day and the children all received their certificates along with parting words from Mrs. Newfield. Listening in on the final class made me want to take the class myself. I walked away knowing we will definitely be enrolling our other two children in the school.
Pictured above - Lexi and her friend, Muriel, with their certificates.