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Parent Questions and Answers Page
 
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Parent Questions

How do you get names of prospective students?
A few private schools are officially linked to the program, but most students are referred by other parents.

Is this a "society" training program, perhaps leading to debutante events?
No. Our program consists of classes for children from any family interested in promoting social skills for business and other situations in the future of their son or daughter.

How is the dress code enforced? My daughter "has her own mind" about what she will wear.
Girls may not participate in Cotillion without proper dress and safe dance (character) shoes. Just as ballet or soccer teachers mandate shoes, we mandate modesty and safety. Dress for boys is clear and rarely an issue, except that black shoes leaving floor marks and (any) athletic shoes are unacceptable.

Why is there a strict dress code?
Everything we do has a teaching objective. A young man learns how to tie a tie, tuck his shirt, when to remove a hat, and look polished for future interviews. Young ladies learn to sit while wearing a skirt.

How do students choose partners?
Students are never forced to choose or to wait for a partner. We have a system to instantly match students; it is employed every few minutes in class for etiquette exercises and dance. Students are asked to smile at each new partner, and the atmosphere remains relaxed and convivial.

Are there equal numbers of boys and girls?
Yes. A huge amount of time and effort goes into building classes of equal gender.

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Can students from the same school be grouped together?
Students from the same school are always grouped together unless the class is so large that students must be divided according to registration postmark date.

How late can we register?
Registrations are confirmed quickly, but spaces by May for most classes. If a requested class is full, parents are offered a place at another time/chapter or receive a refund.

What if we have sports obligations after we register?
Refunds are only made in case of a move outside the metro area. It's important to note that benefits of our lessons will outlive middle school sports in careers and other crucial life events. We are proud to provide coaching in skills not available in academic, sports or religious programs.

How can I persuade a child to go?
Successful parents don't ask a small child's permission; they say "You and your friends are taking a class for social skill you'll need as an adult. It will enable you to receive school and job offers later. It's a really fun party when friends are together." Try to carpool with friends and have treats or sleepovers sometimes after Cotillion.

Do boys like Cotillion?
Parents are astounded with boy's acceptance of our classes. For the past three years, boys have slightly outnumbered girls returning after the first year. We have received many comments like: "We cannot believe he runs to shower and dress for Cotillion" and "Our carpool of boys wishes that Cotillion was held every week instead of once a month" and "He was furious that I signed him up, but he picked this over his game today because he did not want to miss; I cannot believe it."

May I observe the class?
Yes, absolutely! We will have a chaperone schedule to manage requests, but we want every parent to participate. The presence of dads is especially important as a model for all of the young men. Single parents, significant others and grandparents are all warmly welcome to chaperone.

 
 

Parent Comments

"I cannot imagine how young adults of today would ever learn the etiquette, grace and social interaction skills...without the instruction you provide. There is a richness in your lessons that will make these young people into better adults."

"You teach things that most kids today do not learn anywhere else."

"Kids need to learn this from someone other than their parents."

"Getting these lessons with their peers is important at this age."

"My wife and I were recent chaperones; I had thought of several other places I'd rather be on a weekend evening, but I will tell you honestly that I enjoyed the evening more than anything in recent history."

"Thank you so much for your great work with our children this year. I saw a noticeable difference in my son's social skills -- especially his willingness to greet adults, shake hands, and make proper introductions when his grandparents were visiting. Very impressive."

"Thanks Leslie—my daughter had a wonderful time and is very fond of you... all the students I know really enjoy talking about their experiences. Surprisingly, the boys seem to have had as much fun as the girls! I look forward to you working your magic on her younger sibs one day"

"Thank you so much for the instruction given to my son this year. I have noticed a huge difference in his manners, especially in opening doors and being respectful to his elders. I think he really enjoyed getting dressed up for Cotillion and the chance to learn how to be a young gentleman."

"Our family recently attended a wedding where I thought my son would surely be overwhelmed by the surroundings. However, he confidently marched in, politely ordered his refreshments, danced beautifully with his cousins, and even taught me how to waltz!"

"Our son is on the quieter less confident side. I was hopeful that your program would help him gain more self-assurance in social settings.

Recently, I witnessed my son's stellar interactions with a few of my adult acquaintances. The adults were extremely impressed, and credited this to my parenting skills! Many blessings to you for helping young men and women learn a better way to engage with their peers, their parents and adults."

"You've probably heard it a thousand times before so allow me to be 1001. Josh, after much anxiety and grumbling about "being forced" to attend your program, had an excellent experience last night. The first thing he said when he got in the car afterwards was, "OK dad, I must admit it was a lot of fun". We had read some of the comments on the website before attending and he said, "Yea, those are the 8 geeks out of 8000 kids who have attended that actually had a good time". He admitted he is one of the geeks.

(My son) had a wonderful time at Cotillion last night. I watched the program for a while and was very impressed with your teaching method. It seems that all of the children enjoyed themselves. We are happy and are looking forward to the future events!

 
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