UMC lessons to teach my children

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Expose them to culture:

Take them to museums--so easy (and free) in Washington
Take them to plays--plenty of children plays in DC
Take them to ballet--Nutcracker at least
Read poetry to them
Have them take piano or similar lessons--they should be able to do basic music reading--and take them to musical performances. Tune to the classical music station while driving them around, at least occasionally.
Read children's versions of mythology and Shakespeare to them, as well as children's classic books
Sprinkle in literary quotes or lines of poetry in your conversations with them (my candle burns at both ends; miles to go before I sleep; who's that knock, knock, knocking at my door?;he who is last shall be first--note: many literary quotes like this are from the Bible or Shakespeare)
Do everything you can to make them be decent spellers, have legible handwriting, and good grammar (latter very hard when me and Larla is so ubiquitous)
Whenever possible, have sit down family dinners with good conversation--even better if it is at a dinner table with china, silverware, and napkins. Dress for dinner for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas, even if it is just family.
Take them to religious services every week if possible and have them dress up a bit for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of these are run of the mill good parenting tips.

Here are my tips that separate people with money from people who have class:

Travel internationally, and if you cannot afford to do that, be open to other cultures, languages, foods etc. For ex -- take advantage of all the embassies here in D.C. -- they open their doors to the public a few times a year. Emphasis on Europe.

Socialize with other UMC families -- dinners, card games, vacations. These should be pretty wholesome non-consumerist affairs -- think renting a house on Block Island and playing board games, or skiing over winter break -- not Vegas, or Orlando.

You should be reading the paper or listening to NPR so you can have intelligent discussions with your children and they grow up with not only a sense of the world, but the confidence to talk to adults about real topics. Not celebrity gossip. Not hyper-political stuff. They should understand how our government works, for example.

Dress simply -- clean and in luxury fabrics like linen, wool, denim and not rayon, polyester or spandex. Don't get overly tatted, or overly pierced, keep makeup nd hair to a minimum.

Read for fun. Have an opinion about books and authors, even if it's contrary. esp, if its contrary.

Learn skills that translate well into adulthood for casual fun -- like tennis.

Learn to play cards.

Get up at a decent hour in the morning-- before 7:30 -- even on weekends and holidays. Don'y spend your free time on the couch watching Netflix. Be productive. Garden, bike, museums etc.

Learn to love the outdoors -- whether it is hiking, sailing, camping, gardening or whatever. I am from the NE and went to boarding school in NE and then an Ivy. Love of the outdoors is an almost universal trait of the UMC. (Fishing is acceptable, as is duck hunting)

Be culturally literate -- know some Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson etc. You should be able to nod knowingly when someone drops a line of famous poetry or mentions Ovid or cracks a joke about the unreadability of Ulysses.

These are not luxury fabrics, they are natural fabrics. And denim isn't really even that, unless 100% cotton.

You are being pedantic. You know what I mean.

And wool and linen and silk, and yes 100% cotton denim are "luxury" in the sense that they are a) less widely available and b) more expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did not grow up UMC and I would love to fortify my children with some of the habits and knowledge provided to UMC children. Any thoughts or ideas in this realm that might be useful to me?

thank you!

Dear Lord, please deliver us from the noveau riche!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep a jar of Grey Poupon on your person at all times, in case you are asked for it. The true sign of class.

I do believe that Grey Poupon is dreadfully declasse. Keep up with the times. The same goes for Sweppes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of these things are just basic parenting skills, not sure how they’re umc unless it’s an activity that costs money. Every kid should learn majority of these skills.

Exactly.

UMC-thinking raising kids with basic manners and skills is a sign of being UMC. This post is so DCUM.

Agree. This is a silly, cringy post thread.

If you follow a lot of the advice on here, you’re going to end up with pretentious, insufferable children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of these things are just basic parenting skills, not sure how they’re umc unless it’s an activity that costs money. Every kid should learn majority of these skills.

Exactly.

UMC-thinking raising kids with basic manners and skills is a sign of being UMC. This post is so DCUM.

Agree. This is a silly, cringy post thread.

If you follow a lot of the advice on here, you’re going to end up with pretentious, insufferable children.

OP osting this question is already pretentious and insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Embezzling 101.

[Anonymous]

Instruct to keep a jar of Grey Poupon on their person at all times.

[Anonymous]

Dress then like the royal children. Call it a pram instead of a stroller. Invite their preschool friends to luncheon.

[Anonymous]

Disdain for both the upper and lower classes

[Anonymous]

I grew up around UC children and the main difference between them and average children is the ability to be at ease around all types of adults. UC children are regularly exposed to very expensive meals and very important people, so much that they are blasé about it. I can always recognize a child whose parents are rich by how unimpressed they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep a jar of Grey Poupon on your person at all times, in case you are asked for it. The true sign of class.

I do believe that Grey Poupon is dreadfully declasse. Keep up with the times. The same goes for Sweppes.

You’ve…taken this a bit too seriously. Also, learn to spell Schweppes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of these are run of the mill good parenting tips.

Here are my tips that separate people with money from people who have class:

Travel internationally, and if you cannot afford to do that, be open to other cultures, languages, foods etc. For ex -- take advantage of all the embassies here in D.C. -- they open their doors to the public a few times a year. Emphasis on Europe.

Socialize with other UMC families -- dinners, card games, vacations. These should be pretty wholesome non-consumerist affairs -- think renting a house on Block Island and playing board games, or skiing over winter break -- not Vegas, or Orlando.

You should be reading the paper or listening to NPR so you can have intelligent discussions with your children and they grow up with not only a sense of the world, but the confidence to talk to adults about real topics. Not celebrity gossip. Not hyper-political stuff. They should understand how our government works, for example.

Dress simply -- clean and in luxury fabrics like linen, wool, denim and not rayon, polyester or spandex. Don't get overly tatted, or overly pierced, keep makeup nd hair to a minimum.

Read for fun. Have an opinion about books and authors, even if it's contrary. esp, if its contrary.

Learn skills that translate well into adulthood for casual fun -- like tennis.

Learn to play cards.

Get up at a decent hour in the morning-- before 7:30 -- even on weekends and holidays. Don'y spend your free time on the couch watching Netflix. Be productive. Garden, bike, museums etc.

Learn to love the outdoors -- whether it is hiking, sailing, camping, gardening or whatever. I am from the NE and went to boarding school in NE and then an Ivy. Love of the outdoors is an almost universal trait of the UMC. (Fishing is acceptable, as is duck hunting)

Be culturally literate -- know some Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson etc. You should be able to nod knowingly when someone drops a line of famous poetry or mentions Ovid or cracks a joke about the unreadability of Ulysses.

These are not luxury fabrics, they are natural fabrics. And denim isn't really even that, unless 100% cotton.

You are being pedantic. You know what I mean.

And wool and linen and silk, and yes 100% cotton denim are "luxury" in the sense that they are a) less widely available and b) more expensive.

I’m not being pedantic at all. Luxury and natural are not synonyms. And you can’t even justify your inclusion of denim. Everyone and their grandma wears denim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of these are run of the mill good parenting tips.

Here are my tips that separate people with money from people who have class:

Travel internationally, and if you cannot afford to do that, be open to other cultures, languages, foods etc. For ex -- take advantage of all the embassies here in D.C. -- they open their doors to the public a few times a year. Emphasis on Europe.

Socialize with other UMC families -- dinners, card games, vacations. These should be pretty wholesome non-consumerist affairs -- think renting a house on Block Island and playing board games, or skiing over winter break -- not Vegas, or Orlando.

You should be reading the paper or listening to NPR so you can have intelligent discussions with your children and they grow up with not only a sense of the world, but the confidence to talk to adults about real topics. Not celebrity gossip. Not hyper-political stuff. They should understand how our government works, for example.

Dress simply -- clean and in luxury fabrics like linen, wool, denim and not rayon, polyester or spandex. Don't get overly tatted, or overly pierced, keep makeup nd hair to a minimum.

Read for fun. Have an opinion about books and authors, even if it's contrary. esp, if its contrary.

Learn skills that translate well into adulthood for casual fun -- like tennis.

Learn to play cards.

Get up at a decent hour in the morning-- before 7:30 -- even on weekends and holidays. Don'y spend your free time on the couch watching Netflix. Be productive. Garden, bike, museums etc.

Learn to love the outdoors -- whether it is hiking, sailing, camping, gardening or whatever. I am from the NE and went to boarding school in NE and then an Ivy. Love of the outdoors is an almost universal trait of the UMC. (Fishing is acceptable, as is duck hunting)

Be culturally literate -- know some Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson etc. You should be able to nod knowingly when someone drops a line of famous poetry or mentions Ovid or cracks a joke about the unreadability of Ulysses.

I think this is pretty well thought out. I would add:
- golf and swimming lessons to your tennis

- not going overboard on holidays. It’s about family and memories, not stuff

- If you are religious, attend services. Celebrities and hillbillies might be “spiritual but not religious.” MC and UMC people either identify as atheist or go to church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep a jar of Grey Poupon on your person at all times, in case you are asked for it. The true sign of class.

I do believe that Grey Poupon is dreadfully declasse. Keep up with the times. The same goes for Sweppes.

You’ve…taken this a bit too seriously. Also, learn to spell Schweppes.

Obviously, you are not breathing my rarified air. As children we called it Sweppes because we called Grey Poupon, Gray poopoo! It made our butler, Qualtney, laugh and laugh.