Teenage is a tumultuous period in a person’s life. Neither is it easy being a teenager or the parent of one. Faced by peer pressure, which often drives them to display unacceptable behaviors or attitudes, teenagers are subject to intense scrutiny by the family, and people around them. This many a time leaves a negative impression on the person, and affects his/her abilities and confidence. Etiquette and social skills training lessons come handy in this regard. These programs teach the teenagers what to say and do in different instances and occasions in life. These lessons can be conducted by school teachers or coaches who are certified in administering etiquette training programs. Some broad areas of interest covered in etiquette lessons taught by professional etiquette trainer for teens are discussed below.
1 – Showing empathy, compassion, and respect for oneself and others
Teenagers get carried around by what they see in the media and among their peers. As a result, they often fail to exercise caution and pay little attention to the feelings of others in their attitude. Etiquette training lessons impart good qualities to a teenager and help them be more empathetic and compassionate to the people around them. Through the program, they also learn to respect oneself and others, be they friends or family, young or aged, familiar or unfamiliar people.
2 – Being a good communicator
Etiquette training programs help teenagers become good communicators. This includes imparting lessons in addressing people in formal and informal contexts, dos and don’ts in public and private conversations, introducing oneself and others, striking conversations in a group, use of appropriate vocabulary etc. In addition to being good speakers, these lessons also help them be good listeners, a quality that is much appreciated, and which in turn helps them become more empathetic human beings.
3 – Working in a team
Be it in school, or outside, teenagers engage in activities that involves teams. When introduced to the etiquettes of functioning in a team, teenagers develop a good attitude and grow up to be good team players in their lives. The etiquette lessons help them in this regard by inculcating team spirit and teaching them to function as a cohesive unit that takes into consideration the opinion of different team members, as well as the direction of the group leader. Teens are also taught the importance of respecting one another and working hand in hand in collective tasks.
4 – Handling bullies and the responsibility of being a good peer
Bullying is a common cause of worry among teenagers. Bad company can cause them to bully others or lack of confidence or peculiar behavior can result in them being bullied. An etiquette training program corrects both these aspects and helps teens refrain from bullying, and also teaches them how to tackle the situation when faced with it. The lessons also teach them the importance of being a good and responsible peer.
5 – Behaving appropriately in public places
It is a common sight to see teenagers displaying inappropriate behavior in a gathering or public place. This behavior comes from their lack of understanding of basic norms that are acceptable to the society. An etiquette training lesson corrects this behavior of teens, and introduces them to practices that gain them respect and goodwill in public places. For e.g., when watching a match with friends in a stadium, teenagers are encouraged to cheer their team without causing nuisance to fellow audience. When in a movie hall or gathering, it is appropriate that they put their phones in silent.
6 – Using gadgets and the internet safely and responsibly
In the age of internet and excessive social media usage, it is important that teenagers don’t fall prey to predators online, and that they use their devices with caution and care. An etiquette training program helps them be aware of acceptable norms and set limits that ensure their safety and responsibility. They are taught basic etiquettes of personal and professional emails, use of appropriate vocabulary in social media conversations, respecting others’ privacy, and so on.
Etiquette training lessons are useful in many ways to teenagers, and go a long way in helping them be confident and sociable human beings who are liked and respected by people around them.
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