Etiquette camper: 'I'm more polite'

Cary, N.C. — It's that time of year when many parents start thinking about summer camps or track-out camps for children on year-round schedules.

Many camps feature sports or arts or computers, but one Cary business owner is teaching kids a different set of skills at her camp: etiquette.

On the weekends, Carmen Miller runs themed birthday parties for girls at “Pinky Toes Party Palace.” During the week, she runs behavior camps for girls and boys, ages 10 to 13.

Children are taught to keep their elbows off the table while eating, how to use the correct utensils and to pass bread and cut food properly, among other things.

“The point about etiquette is to make people more comfortable. I think the more knowledge you have, the more empowered you are,” Miller said.

The weeklong class teaches kids about confidence as well, she said. Kaileigh Grande said her mom wanted her to attend the camp to learn table manners.

“I kinda usually don’t use a fork,” Kaileigh said. “(My mom) likes that when I’m eating (now), I’m more polite.”

The gentlemen in the class also learn to pull out chairs for the young ladies.

“It’s kind of embarrassing the first time, because (the girls) practically think you like them,” said one camper.

Tuesday, on WRAL’s Morning News at 6, Reporter Kim Dean attends an infant massage class for moms and babies.

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Latest Comments

If the parents are slobs and can't fathom manners - once the kid is done with the camp he is returned to the slobs of home where they go right back to where they started.

TheAdmiral
May 6, 2008 2:13 p.m.

Yes, we all need to learn better etiquette, but the young man in the picture is NOT holding his fork properly. And to send a male to a place called "Pinky" anything is degrading.

clariceperry
May 6, 2008 8:35 a.m.

Amen to this camp. Kids these days just have no manners. Yes, they should learn it at home, but sometimes a little polish really helps. I get so sick of being addressed as "Hey" or "A!" instead of ma'am or miss, or kids calling me by my first name. Even a simple "excuse me" when walking past would be really nice. Here in the South, it is Mrs, or Miss LastName. My parents sent me to cotillion back in the day. I hated it then but I sure wish I had paid more attention nowadays.

emaleth
May 5, 2008 5:23 p.m.

When did fellowship get cluttered with rules? Long live eating as you please, this country is a free one as I recall.

kcfoxie
May 5, 2008 2:40 p.m.

Now, folks want the SCHOOLS to teach etiquette, too? When in the world do we want them to teach Reading and Writing, and Arithmetic? The schools are the dumping ground. Don't want to teach the kids $&x? Let the schools. Come on folks. The schools did not give birth to them. Maybe some of these parents need to either pay someone to do it, OR get rid of the UNnecessary items in their lives and take care of their children.