Basic Etiquette
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Coughing and Sneezing Etiquette

Your son may think it is funny to sneeze at his sister, but his germs can contaminate the whole room. Sneezing blasts out thousands of bacteria at speeds from 100-600 miles per hour and can spray out 100 feet (http://www.cfnews13.com/).

Tell your son to avoid passing germs by sneezing or coughing into a tissue or napkin. If a tissue is not handy, then his sleeve will do, just sneeze into his bent elbow. The reason to not cover your mouth with your bare hand is to avoid contaminating the hands and then transfering germs to others by shaking hands or by touching surfaces and objects.

The following are tips to avoid spreading germs and viruses as well as good coughing and sneezing etiquette:

1. Turn away from people when about to cough or sneeze.
2. Always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing with a disposable tissue. If a tissue is not readily available, then use your sleeve.
3. Throw the tissue away immediately.
4. Wash hands with soap and water or clean hands with alcohol based sanitizers such as wipes or gels.

Tell your son that all the etiquette experts agree, NEVER BLOW YOUR NOSE IN A RESTAURANT! Always go to the restroom for nose blowing. If it's just the sniffles, he can use a tissue to dab his nose if there's only a slight drip.

Cross Legs At Ankles

Either crossing the ankles or keeping ankles together would be fine. Feet are slightly to one side and knees always together whether in skirts or pants.You're right, crossing her legs would not be appropriate whether in a skirt or pants. In addition crossing legs at the knees is bad for circulation and could lead to varicose veins.

Sitting Elegantly

It's very simple to sit elegantly whether in an evening gown or in jeans. Here are the basic steps:

1. Walk toward the chair or couch and stand directly in front of it.
2. Without looking backwards or down, back up slightly towards the chair, feel the chair gently with your leg.
3. Then, while keeping your back straight, gently sit down onto the front of the chair.
4. Slide back onto the seat a little more, but keep feet on the floor.
5. Keep your knees together and either tuck one foot behind the other or keep your ankles together. Feet can be slightly to the side.To stand up, uncross your ankles, place your feet flat in front of you. Slide forward until you are at the edge of the chair. Keeping your back straight, stand up.

Exiting a Car properly

Celebrities are under the microscope and photographed constantly. Keeping knees together is the most important tip. However, both knees and ankles should be kept together in order to gracefully enter or exit a car in a skirt.

ENTERING CAR WITH SHORT SKIRT

1. Open the door.
2. Stand next to the seat.
3. Keep knees and ankles together and sit at the edge of the seat.
4. Slide body back into the seat as far as possible.
5. With knees and ankles together, swing legs and body toward the front of the seat.6. Close the door and make any necessary adjustments.

EXITING CAR WITH SHORT SKIRT

1. Pull skirt over legs as far as possible.
2. Slide body toward the front edge of the seat, keeping skirt pulled over legs.
3. Open the door.
4. Keep knees and ankles together and slowly swing both legs and body toward the open door.
5. Still keeping knees and ankles together, place feet onto the ground.
6. If someone is not there with an extended hand, then use the side of the seat to help push oneself out.
7. Stand up slowly.

Walking on the proper side

The proper side depends on the situation, but generally indoors, the female takes the male's right arm. When outside on the sidewalk, the male walks on the side nearest the traffic.The exception is when the bride is on the male's left side during the wedding ceremony.

Unsolicited Etiquette

Offering unsolicited etiquette advice would be okay depending on the intent and when it was offered. If the advice were given with good intent such as helping someone avoid doing something very embarrassing, then it would be okay. If the intent was to point out someone's faux pas after the fact, then it is more than improper, it is completely rude.There are occasions when unsolicited etiquette advice should be welcomed such as business situations and when visiting foreign countries where manners and conduct are more scrutinized and on which one's professional success may depend.

Pointing Finger Rude

Generally, pointing a finger at objects is okay, but not at people. However, it's best to gesture with an open hand when directing attention to a person or an object.Some seemingly simple gestures and nonverbal actions can mean something quite different in other countries, and could be offensive and insulting. Your co-worker should become acquainted with the customs in other countries as part of basic good business protocol.

Apartment or Dorm Room Laundry Etiquette

Using multiple washing machines is more efficient, but using four machines out of five is excessive. Generally, if using multiple machines results in all the machines being occupied, then it is not a good idea to do so. One rule of thumb is to see how many machines are not being used and use half, assuming the laundry room is not busy. In your case, if four washing machines were not in use, then you would use two of them.

Below are some general etiquette guidelines to follow when using public laundry facilities in an apartment or college dorms.

1. Washers to Use: If the laundry room is used by many tenants, then only use one washer at a time. However, if there are plenty of washers and most are not in use, then using 2-3 washers at the same time would be fine as long as there are other available machines.
2. Laundry Basket: Using a laundry basket makes it easier to transport and transfer clothes. Leave the basket on top or in front of the washer so that if you are late in retrieving your clothes, the next person can remove your clothes and put them in your basket.
3. Be Prompt. Keep track of the wash time and return promptly transfer your wet clothes to a dryer. Keep track f the dry time and return promptly retrieve your clothes when they have finished drying.
4. Removing Other Tenant's Clothes: If the wash or dry cycle is finished, but the person has not returned, then put their clothes in their basket or on the counter.
5. Clean the dryer lint trap when finished.


Displaying Affection

Public displays of affection (PDA), especially in a restaurant, should be avoided. A few hugs and quick kiss does not harm. But, ongoing canoodling and kissing is a distraction for other patrons.If your husband is a sensitive person, then he should be perceptive about how uncomfortable his actions are making others feel. Before going to the next function, gently remind your husband that too much PDA makes other people uncomfortable. If you feel embarrassed by his overly affectionate actions in public, then also let him know. A loving and caring husband will respect his wife's feelings.