Rules of Etiquette for Busy Moms

As moms, we all lead busy lives. There is always the never ending errands to run, children to chaffeur around town, an insane amount of housework, and don't forget that totally unexpected event that always seems to pop up on your busiest day ever. Through it all, we put that bright smile on our face and follow proper rules of etiquette at all times. Or do we?

In today's hectic lifestyle, it is a wonder that a mom even has time to breathe. Now does this give us the right to be rude and display bad mom manners? Of course not, but I do think that some moms (myself included) need a refresher course in the rules of etiquette for the busy mom. If you are wondering if you are one of the guilty ones, read further for a list of common mom offenses and what you can do to correct these problem areas.

Now we all know that our kids are the brightest, sweetest, most well behaved, and best looking children in the room. But does everyone have to suffer through an hour long conversation about how your child is going to rule the world one day?

Moms often feel pride in their child's accomplishments. It's great to feel this way and share with others your child's latest achievement. It is not okay to dominate the whole conversation. If you find yourself doing this, quickly apologize and give the other person a chance to talk.

Another good rule of etiquette for the "bragger" mom is be mindful of other people's financial situations. Often moms are really excited about the purchase of a new car, furniture, bigger house, etc. Again, it's okay to mention your latest purchase and most people will be genuinely happy for you. Just be careful not to go on and on about it, because others will find this rude and off putting.

Everyday on Facebook and in real life conversations, you have the mom that lists everything she has to do or has accomplished for the day. (Okay, so I admit I am totally guilty of this one and I have to do better.) Then you have the other mom who has to "one up" the first mom.

As moms, we have to remember that we all lead busy lives in different ways. Console and praise the other mom on a job well done and move on. There is no reason to make it a competition.

Speaking of stopping the competition, moms need to be mindful of the amount of activities they take on. Another good rule of etiquette for the busy mom is to volunteer your services only if you are genuinely interested and have the time to dedicate to that event. Do not sign up if you using this as a "one up" to gain an edge on that mom of the year award. People and organizations appreciate your help if you are there for the right reasons.

Being a mom, you quickly learn to deal with an unexpected event or last minute emergency that is bound to pop up. It often causes us to cancel plans with friends or not being able to help out with that special activity at school.

No worries - this is okay and happens to even the best mom. As long as you are not making a habit out of these "no shows", people will often understand and not hold it against you.

What does matter is how you handle it. Proper etiquette would be to write an apology note to your friend or call with your apology and make plans for the next available day. Get a hold of the teacher or send a note with your child to school to let him or her know why you won't be able to help out. People will appreciate you taking the time to keep them informed and you won't be deemed the "no show" mom.

All moms tend to get in a crisis at times and there always is that one family member or friend that helps us out during these panic worthy moments. It can be that friend who takes over for you carpooling the kids to school or that family member who watches the kids while you go to a doctor's appointment.

It's great to have such caring people in your life. Do you take the time to properly thank them for helping you out in your time of need?

Proper etiquette tells us to write a thank you card expressing our gratitude for their help. You can also return the favor and help them out the next time he or she is in a jam. Buy them a cup of coffee or a Sonic drink at happy hour - anything will do - as long as you let them how much you appreciate them and their services.

So you got another party invitation in the mail and you have no idea if you are going to be able to make it. Because your schedule is so hectic, you skip the RSVP. I am the president of the forgetting to RSVP club.

It is incredibly rude of me because the party host uses this little piece of information to know how much food to serve, how many goodie bags to make, etc. Bite the bullet moms and RSVP to all party invitations for the sake of good etiquette.

There are other useful tips to help you not be labeled the "party crasher" mom. Call if you are going to be late. Often times parties have scheduled events so you don't want to barge in at the wrong time. If the situation arises where you are bringing an extra guest with you, call ahead of time and make sure this is okay with the host of the party. They will usually be kind about this request and will be grateful that you called in order to prepare extra food or goodie bag for the additional guest.

If all busy moms could follow these rules of etiquette, what a wonderful world it would be. Unfortunately, this probably is not going to happen anytime soon. There will always be that mom too caught up in her own world and hectic schedule to notice her display of bad mom manners. What we can do as individuals is be mindful of the way we treat others and show appreciation when it matters the most.

To all the busy moms out there, I hope you have found this hub helpful in dealing with the lack of etiquette in today's modern world. Writing this hub has been extremely eye opening to my own etiquette issues and even I have found some things I need to change in my life. Are you guilty of any of these areas or know somebody who is? I would love to hear your stories and feedback in the comment section below.