ASHLEY HAILS (left) with Shannon Barlow, founder of Mind Your Manners, during an etiquette session.

MIND YOUR MANNERS gives children, grades 1-8, a solid foundation in using important social skills.
Phrases like “please” and “thank you” are still the cornerstones of a well-behaved child in Shannon Barlow’s world.

Barlow is the founder of Mind Your Manners, a program for students, grades 1-8, designed to help hone their social skills.

“I’ve been doing this for about three years,” Barlow said.

She was hired to work at Northwest Airlines as a flight attendant, but decided it was more important to do something she really loved.

“I went with Mind Your Manners to take a chance at my own business,” she said. “I noticed there was a lack of manners in children and adults today. I was raised in a home where my parents taught me and my siblings manners.”

Those same skills are the bedrock of her teachings.

“I see where parents are that much busier today. They’re making sure their child has field trip money, a roof over their head, but what about the other things? That part about instilling the basics?” Barlow said. “The courtesy of saying ‘thank you,’ ‘no, thank you,’ ‘may I?’ and ‘please.’”

Mind Your Manners is a six-week course and is brought to the local elementary and middle schools. It lasts about an hour. Through word of mouth Barlow has had a good response from parents and children alike.

“A parent came to pick their daughter up early and she cried and cried because she didn’t want to leave the class,” she recalled. “Her mom came to pick her up for a dance. They skipped dance and she stayed, so that really won my heart.”

Her moto is “Making Manners Contagious,” and as such, the program seeks to focus on proper handshakes and eye contact. Also covered are table manners, social etiquette, phone etiquette, restaurant manners, hygiene and nutrition. At the end of the course, the participants are rewarded with a graduation ceremony and a tea party.

Barlow wants to encourage her students to know that they can be anything they aspire to. Each child is given a nametag with their name and future occupation.

“I also teach them leadership and confidence as well,” she added. “I’m instilling in them what to focus on by getting them know that they can be anything they want to be.”

But it’s not all stuffy lessons and tests.

“I also do a nail check (professional manicures); I teach them about being neat,” she said.

At this stage in her career she would never consider going back to a day.

“I love what I do, it’s my passion,” Barlow said. “The thing I hear the most is this is so needed. Where have you been? That’s one of the things that drives me as well.”

Barlow believes that parents should go back to basics, including stressing politeness.

The bottom line, according to Barlow, is the need “to get back to the basics and teach our children good manners.”

For more information, call (313) 516-7255 or e-mail mindyourmanners@mail.com.