Parents, this may not seem important to your kids but the right handshake can change the way people perceive them at the initial meeting. They are never too young to learn how to present themselves to others.
It is believed that the act of shaking hands originated as gesture of peace by demonstrating that the two people held no weapons. Handshakes are commonly done when people meet, greet, depart, offer congratulations, express gratitude or to signify an agreement. When handshakes occur during competitions, they are done as a sign of good sportsmanship.
The purpose of a handshake is to communicate trust and equality. The handshake should be done with bare hands unless there is a health issue or local customs dictate otherwise. It is extremely rude to refuse the hand offering to shake hands.
This is the part that is so important for all adults and children to understand. Since the handshake is often part of the first impression people have of you, it is to your advantage to shake hands correctly.
We have all experienced those handshakes that made huge impressions on us. There is the one where you walk away with your hand in agony because the other person squeezed your hand so hard that it felt like your hand was in a vise. T
he other extreme is the one that leaves you feeling like you have just held a dead fish in your hand.
The reality is that a handshake can instantly make people form a negative opinion about you. It is inappropriate to come across as overly dominant and aggressive or or conversely, weak and lacking in confidence.
Even if your kids are shy, they need to be able to shake hands with confidence. They should look into the other person’s eyes and take a firm-not limp and n
ot a vice grip-grasp of his or her hand and give one or two slight up down movements.
As you shake your children’s hands, take note on the type of handshake they have before you teach them the proper method. My guess is that you will learn a lot about their levels of confidence, self worth and or dominance.
Second Photo by cionima Third Photo by Mark Massey
