We were invited to dinner tonight at J and K M’s house. It was partially a birthday party for J and partially a thank you for everyone who helped out at their house while they were on their cruise.

I explained to both boys that we would be using restaurant manners during dinner and that it wasn’t optional. I also explained that I was good with getting up and leaving in the middle of the meal if they weren’t. I asked them to explain to me what restaurant manners look like to them. They gave all the right answers.

Older Boy really struggled with the manners. He danced at the table. He chewed with his mouth open. He pretended to poke his fork in his eye…over and over again. I asked him to leave the table and sit in another chair until he was capable of joining us. He “didn’t mean to” do any of the things that were poor manners. He argued.
Prayers we can learn respectable manners. We are working on them at home, too, but we aren’t getting very far.