Tuesday tidbits on tactfulness...

In honor of National Etiquette Week

I thought I would share with you, some 

seriously socially inappropriate behavior 

that I've encountered since being 

"with child." 

First there was the random lady in the parking lot

at the grocery store who while loading groceries into

the trunk of her car turned to me, 

saw I was pregnant & decided to congratulate me, 

tell me that God blesses me & my unborn

ALL THE WHILE

patting my belly like I was Buddha!

Suggestions on how to react-

1)Take a step back as the stranger goes in for the belly pat

while politely thanking the complete stranger 
& go on with your day

2)reach right back & violate their personal space 
& rub THEIR belly?

(not brazen enough to do this one myself but 

I bet it'd make them think before they 

reach for the next belly that's not theirs!)

Then my personal favorites are the people 

who like to tell the pregnant lady 

how "HUGE" she is 

or folks who like to ask 

"Wow, what are you having triplets?!"

It's obvious that there's something going on inside that belly

but no one like's to be told they are HUGE!

suggestion on how to rephrase that

& not sound like a jacka**-

1)"Oh my you're all baby aren't you?"

or even..

2)"Looks like someone's swallowed a basketball!"

Your labor & delivery horror stories are not really

what anyone wants to hear. 
Most especially, the first time pregnant lady!

Everyones pregnancies & deliveries are not the same. 

There's no need to scare the daylights out of 

the first timer with your delivery full of

extenuating circumstances.

Also- when engaging in conversation 

with a pregnant woman 

(no matter how well you think you know her)

don't ask her how she's feeling & expect a real answer.

She won't want to go into it with you 

(& believe me there's always something kinda weird going on)

so she'll tell you she's feeling "OK" or "just fine, thank you."

Unless you're her mother, husband, 
Doctor or BFF she's not going to

get into the details with you of what's really going on with her.

*Some women are all about sharing 
& will go as far as to tell you details of her

recent bowel movements but 
unless you're sure the person you're 

approaching is one of those, it's better to play it safe 

& refrain from even going there.

Perhaps this a lack of sensitivity/social skills is all 

"normal" for where I'm currently living.

(I certainly hope not!)

OR 

Maybe it's just that lots of people are guilty of not minding their manners 

or better yet, not having any to begin with.

Say it with me now....

po·lite

   [puh-lahyt] 

–adjective,-lit·er, -lit·est.

1.

showing good manners toward others, as in behavior, 

speech, etc.; courteous; civil: a polite reply.

2.

refined or cultured: polite society.

3.

of a refined or elegant kind: polite learning.

—Related forms

po·lite·ly, adverb

po·lite·ness, noun

su·per·po·lite, adjective

su·per·po·lite·ly, adverb

su·per·po·lite·ness, noun

—Synonyms 
1. well-bred, gracious. See civil. 

2. urbane, polished, poised, courtly, cultivated.

—Antonyms 
1, 2. rude.

"A spoonful of honey will catch more flies 
than a gallon of vinegar."

-Benjamin Franklin

Bee Good!

xox

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