While I was lucky enough to marry my prince charming, many aunties are still searching for the glass slipper and the fairy tale prince to lovingly place it on her foot.  During a recent visit to see my 94 year old Daddy who is the very definition of old –school Italian, (did I say old-school?), he said to me, “Steph, why don’t you write about how savvy aunties can help rear their nephews to be prince charming?  This world needs people to teach boys about chivalry!”  

Chivalry According to Eugene (and Aunt Steph)

Aunties, while on the hunt for your own prince charming and or helping your nieces find hers, what’d ya say we teach our nephews about chivalry?!  According to The Free Dictionary chivalry is defined as: courteous behavior, esp. by men toward women.  I’m a lover of specifics and since that definition leaves lots of room for interpretation here are some of Aunt Steph’s/Eugene’s (my Dad) specs on who is fit to wear the royal robes of  prince charming:

Go to the door and escort your date back to your car when taking her out

I can remember a few years back, watching my niece run out the door after her date so gallantly announced he arrived to pick her up by beeping the horn!  What???  Heelllo??  As her godmother and Savvy Auntie, I was offended, as was her uncle, my husband.  Suffice to say, he did not get Aunt Steph’s stamp of approval.  I wanted to escort him right out of the driveway to the land of, “Who do you think you are?” but controlled myself and later addressed it calmly as a teachable moment.  

Open the car door for her

After 19 years of marriage and a love affair of 24 years, my husband still does this for me, even if we are just coming out of the grocery store.  It is such a small gesture attached to a ginormous message that translates as I respect you.  Perhaps some would say this is “old-fashioned” but to me, chivalry is timeless and so is respect.  

Pull her chair out

Simple, but again, in my book, says, I respect you.  These days, we are so busy that common courtesy often gets lost in the shuffle.  Many believe that common courtesy is what knits our social fabric together.  Let’s knit a fabric the splendor of which is blinding and enlist our nephews to be at the heart of it all!

Classic or Old-Fashioned? 

Yes, admittedly these behaviors are considered by some as “old-fashioned.” Some things, though, like the little black dress, never go out of style.  While not all of us have found prince charming-yet, we can raise a generation of prince charmings for those coming behind us.   
Oooo, just imagine a world abundant with prince charmings!  That kills two birds with one stone-nephews of which we’d be mighty proud and the assuredness our nieces will be in tender loving care.  At the risk of sounding nerdy, just the thought makes me smile so big my face hurts! How about you?   

Aunties-remember you, your nieces, daughters, etc. deserve prince charming.  Keep those standards high!  After all you are a queen yourself as are your little darlings.

Hugs and kisses ‘til next time!