Manners

So I got asked to speak about manners to a camp of boys this summer. The program is for fatherless boys in the community. It teaches them life skills and provides mentorship in areas that they lack in their every day lives. Last year I got to share about my life and how God has changed it.
This year they asked me to speak for a session about etiquette and manners. Where do you begin? from holding the door open to meaning the words you say... there is so much that I don't know where to start.

It's funny how things kind of happen in cycles and in themes in your life. I've become more and more aware of the kids around me. The kids we spend time with, the kids at the playground or park, the kids at the mall. I have to say... the majority of the time I am completely horrified. Kids have no manners, foul mouths and no discipline. It's scarey. Now that I have kids it affects me and it makes me think hard about what I want my kids to be around and how they are influenced.
We do a lot of stuff in the community so our kids are exposed to a lot, and I don't mind that.. I don't want them to be narrow minded snobs, but at the same time I want to protect them from a lot of things that no child ever needs to see or hear.

I feel like every day my husband and I talk on the issue of schooling for our kids. Frankly, it makes me nervous. *sigh. One year at a time, one day at a time I guess.

It's kind of like, you don't want your kid to be a bully..but you don't want them to get picked on. You don't want them to be TOO cool and do bad things, but you don't want them to be nerdy and awkward either. Part of me wishes I could live in an enchanted forest or on a farm in the middle of nowhere! hahaa!!

anyways, my brain is all a muddle which means I should probably take a nap while everyone else does.
have a good day!