March was always Manners Month in the preschool class that I taught before becoming a Real Estate Professional.  I have always felt that good manners are vital for excelling in life and teaching them in preschool was a natural.  Young minds are like sponges and so receptive to being taught ideas like manners.  What I noticed is that parents are often so busy that they tend to just let manners education at home go.  The same can be said for many adults....they just let good manners go by the wayside. 

"Magic Words" such as Yes Ma'am, No Sir,  Excuse me, Please, Thank You, You're Welcome help us get what we want.  It's just that simple.  Preschoolers get that while many adults do not.  " EXCUSE ME SIR  Can you PLEASE?  THANK YOU MA'AM  YOU'RE WELCOME"  All these words are free, they don't cost you a thing to use.  I try use mine alot...at drive thru's, in stores, with customers, on the phone, with coworkers.  I encourage and quite frankly expect my practically grown children to use them as well.  As a matter of fact I got a text message today that said "Yes ma'am".

At preschool we practiced table manners, learning how to meet and greet in a mannerly fashion (including that all important handshake), how to open doors for others and how to accept a compliment.  All great examples of Manners that Matter! Now I know if a bunch of 4 year olds can do these certainly all of us grown ups can. 

So here's a challenge...Spend the rest of March Manners Month practicing your rusty manners! 

Good Luck!

If you need a nice polite Realtor in West Tennessee...call me please! Thank you Kathy Fisher

Leadership Henderson County 2009 traveled  to Camp Mack Morris in Camden on Friday Feb. 27th,

where the group participated in Project COPE, a program of the West TN

Area Council Boy Scouts of America. Project C.O.P.E. (Challenging Outdoor Personal

Experience) is comprised of a series of outdoor challenges, beginning with

basic group initiative games and progressing to more complicated low-course and

high-course activities. Camp Director Shane Cooley led participants through a

variety of challenges that involved climbing, swinging, balancing, jumping as well

as critical thinking. It gave the group a chance to work on team building activities

and develop skills that focus on communication, trust, problem solving, leadership,

decision-making, self-esteem and teamwork.  It was a wonderful experience that WAS challenging but

very worth the aches and pains that I endured the following weekend.