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Tami's BlogEtiquette, Confidence and Communication for the World They Actually Live In.
Children and teenagers are growing up in a world very different from the one their parents knew.
Their social lives take place simultaneously at school, in WhatsApp groups, on social media, in extracurricular activities, at events, with adults and among their peers. They are expected to know how to introduce themselves, join a group, communicate, listen, set boundaries, respect others — while still maintaining their own identity and sense of self.
That is why, when we speak about etiquette, we are not simply referring to knowing how to use a knife and fork.
Etiquette is the ability to notice the person in front of us, show consideration and treat others with respect — without giving up who we are.
This is the foundation of TLL Young.
Why Do Children Need Etiquette Today?
Children and teenagers encounter situations almost every day in which they are not entirely sure how they are expected to behave.
How do you join a group without feeling like an outsider?
How do you introduce yourself?
What do you do when someone does not reply to your message?
How do you disagree without hurting someone?
What belongs in a group chat, and what is better said face to face?
How should you behave as a guest or a host?
How do you speak comfortably with adults?
How do you protect privacy and respect others online?
And how can you be polite without feeling old-fashioned or out of place?
This knowledge is not a collection of prohibitions.
On the contrary. When a child understands what is expected in a social situation, there is less need to guess. Knowledge creates confidence, reduces uncertainty and allows children to focus on the people and the experience rather than worrying about making a mistake.
Etiquette Does Not Change Personality — It Gives It Tools
One of our most important goals is to ensure that children and teenagers never feel they have to become someone else in order to “behave properly.”
A quiet child does not need to become an extrovert.
An outspoken teenager does not need to stop expressing an opinion.
A creative young person does not need to fit into a predetermined mold.
The goal is to give them the tools to express themselves clearly, confidently and respectfully.
We teach them to understand the situation, read the person in front of them and choose an appropriate response — while preserving their personality, opinions, beliefs and individuality.
Confidence Begins with Knowing What to Do
Children sometimes avoid social situations not because they do not want to participate, but because they are unsure of what to do.
How do you enter a room full of people?
How do you start a conversation?
How do you join a group?
How do you receive a compliment?
How do you say “no”?
How do you apologize?
And what happens when we are the ones who caused hurt?
Simple tools can turn a moment of uncertainty into an opportunity for connection.
The more aware children become of themselves, their surroundings and the person in front of them, the easier it becomes to choose how to respond.
And What About the Digital World?
Today, it is impossible to teach etiquette and communication without addressing life online.
WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, online games and social groups are an integral part of the lives of children and teenagers.
Respect, boundaries and responsibility matter there too.
When is it appropriate to send a message?
Do we have to reply immediately?
What should never be forwarded without permission?
How do we deal with being ignored?
Where is the line between humour and hurt?
And what happens when a photograph, comment or message remains online long after we have forgotten about it?
Digital etiquette is not a separate subject.
It is an extension of one basic question:
How does my behavior affect the person on the other side?
Parents and Educators Are Part of the Language Too
That is why we believe parents, educators and other significant adults should also be part of the process.
When children hear one message at home, another at school and a third online, it becomes difficult to develop a clear internal compass.
Our aim is to create a shared language based on respect, consideration, responsibility, boundaries and open communication.
Not “because that is the rule,” but because children understand the reasoning behind the behavior.
What Do We Teach?
Lectures, workshops and personal sessions are adapted to the age of the participants and the environments in which they live.
Lectures, workshops and personal sessions are adapted to the age of the participants and the environments in which they live.
Topics may include:
Introductions and first impressions, body language and presence, communication with peers and adults, conversation and small talk, digital etiquette, WhatsApp groups and social media, hosting and being a guest, table manners, appearance and personal grooming, respect for personal space, dealing with embarrassment, apologizing, setting boundaries, teamwork and communicating in multicultural environments.
The emphasis is always on practical tools that can be used immediately in everyday life.
Meet Shirly Lancut Gal
Director and Facilitator of TLL Young
Shirly Lancut Gal is returning to lead Young TLL — the children, teens and young adults division of TLL — a field in which she worked for many years and to which she now returns with a renewed belief in its importance in today’s world.
Shirly has extensive experience in management, training, marketing, client relations and the development of professional programs.
For many years she was an integral part of TLL, and from 2013 to 2018 she managed the activities of Young TLL, working with the Israeli Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, schools and private organizations, and developing programs and training activities for children and teenagers.
She studied Economics and Management at Ramat Gan College, completed an Advertising Management program at Lahav Executive Education at Tel Aviv University, and trained as an international image consultant through AICI — the Association of Image Consultants International.
Alongside her work with TLL, Shirly has been working for several years as an office manager in an advertising agency, bringing with her current experience in management, communication, working with people and an up-to-date understanding of today’s media and communication environment.
The combination of her professional experience, her many years with TLL and her familiarity with the world of children and teenagers allows her to return to the field from a mature, practical and contemporary perspective.
What We Believe
No one lives alone.
We all want to be seen, heard, acknowledged and respected. And in order to live together, we need a shared language.
For us, etiquette is that language.
It is not a rigid system of “do’s and don’ts,” but a combination of awareness, respect, consideration, confidence and common sense.
The earlier children and young people are introduced to this language, the more we can give them — not merely rules of behavior, but tools for life.
Know who I am.
Understand who is in front of me.
And know how to navigate the world with confidence, respect and humanity.
Tami Lancut Leibovitz & Shirly Lancut Gal