Mothers and Sons

It's a modern world, but has chivalry died? Eighty-seven percent of LilSugar readers said it isn't so and that they are teaching their sons to be well-mannered men. We asked Lisa Gaché, the founder of Beverly Hills Manners, a company that makes learning fun for children, her thoughts. She said:

Chivalry never goes out of style, so moms take note! In fact, it is perhaps more vital than ever to teach these skills to today’s young men. With technology making it easy to text an invitation to dinner rather than picking up the phone or emailing a thank you note in favor of mailing a handwritten one, good old-fashioned manners have been slowly slipping by the wayside, much to our detriment. To combat this downward spiral, here are 10 ways to instill the importance of chivalrous behavior and turn these impressionable boys into true gentlemen.

Look the Part — First impressions mean everything and there is no better way to communicate confidence than through a young man’s overall presentation. Good posture gives the appearance of looking taller and stronger and being well-groomed displays respect for oneself. The challenge is to strike a healthy balance between caring about such things as personal hygiene and wardrobe selection without appearing too perfectly put together or looking like you made too much of an effort.

Hold the Door Open — In today’s world, young men are dealing with the delicate dance of knowing how to treat a lady without making her feel helpless. There are many ways in which he may demonstrate this behavior from opening a door for a woman, to helping carry heavy packages or assisting with putting on a coat. The understanding is that each of these gestures is made with the sole purpose of aiding the comfort level of his companion.

Walk Curbside — A gentleman makes sure his companion’s safety is attended to before his own. Walking on the curbside of the pavement is a practical measure to avoid any accidental missteps and also to protect a lady’s clothing from soiling due to mud or water erupting from drivers passing by.

To see the rest of Lisa's pointers, read more

There's a special bond between mothers and sons. Women raising boys have the power to shape the next generation of men and those to come by teaching their kids important lessons.

1. To express his emotions because bottling them up eventually makes a person explode.
2. To say "ladies first," hold doors open for women, and give his date the jacket off his back when he or she is cold because the world is moving forward in wonderful ways but that doesn't mean chivalry has to die.
3. To put the toilet seat down after he pees, change his sheets frequently, learn to cook, and do laundry.
4. To channel his energy through sports, art, dance, the written word — whatever his passion may be.
5. That even the biggest fight should be settled with the mind rather than fists.
6. That not following the group doesn't make him a loser, but his own leader.
7. To stick up for the underdog even if it makes him an outcast.
8. That he has the power to make an amazing difference in life.
9. To worry less about whether she's proud of him and more about having pride in himself.
10. Smiles are free so be generous with them.