In our culture, even the youngest girls are sometimes influenced to believe that their value is tied up in their physical appearance or their materialistic possessions. That’s one reason I started an annual tea party with some of the youngest ladies of my community: it’s a great opportunity to make them feel beautiful and loved while teaching manners and good etiquette.
I gathered about eighteen girls, aged 6 to 11, into my home for a tea party. We had all the treats, sweets, giggles, and games — I’m sure you can imagine! From playing guessing games to munching on yummy, bite-size treats, it was so much fun — both for the girls and for me. Each young lady was to refer to her friends as “Miss” or “Madame” throughout the party, and they absolutely loved imagining themselves as gracious, graceful ladies. They wore hats and their best dresses and were spoiled and loved for about two hours. . . . Such fun!
This was my fourth year making memories with the girls this way, and I know some of those memories will last a lifetime. We have such a short time to influence our young girls to believe that they are loved, valuable, and worth more than their appearance or popularity status. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to invest in the young ladies in my life.
Have you ever been involved in a girls’ tea party or etiquette class? I’d love to hear about your experiences and ideas in the comments.
In the meantime, enjoy these warm summer months, and if you end up having a girls’ tea party of your own, drop me a line to let me know how it went!