by Christos Zabounis

One does not need to have delved into the “relevance of numerous associations,” as Cavafy put it, to realize that politeness opens the very doors that rudeness closes. But how does one become polite? Through Paideia. Attention! Paideia includes not only formal education at school but also the upbringing that parents provide to their children. A book written by Princess Marie-Chantal de Grece — as she signs in the English edition, or Marie-Chantal de Grèce in the Greek one — deals with child-rearing and the rules of good manners for young ones, hence the double meaning of the title “at breakfast.” The wife of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, as is his official title (or Pavlos de Grèce, according to the registry), knows the subject well, being the mother of a large family. The experience she gained raising five children — combined with the manners she learned at home and, naturally, with the support of royal protocol — inspired her to start a popular blog for mothers, followed by the writing of a savoir vivre guide for young ages. A perfectionist by nature, she “rewrote” it within four years, placing special emphasis on Technology — namely, the handling of electronic devices (phones, tablets, computers) and the balance between real and virtual life. À lire!

Translated also in Greek, by Fereniki publications: