When my first child was born, my husband and I were not ready to give up our “married without kids” status. We still wanted to hang out. So, we brought my son everywhere we went, especially since childcare was slim on the weekends. It was an adjustment, but we were fine with it. Although we migrated to New Jersey several years ago, we were (and still are) true New Yorkers. So, we did most of our recreational activities in NYC.
One thing we enjoyed tremendously was dining at
restaurants. We frequently selected a restaurant and met friends and
family members to dine out and have a good time. We did this for either
brunch, lunch or dinner. It did not matter which period of the day we ate
because our son was a joy to have in tow and he could hang until the late
evening. None of our friends ever complained about our son being
with us because he was so good and he displayed wonderful table manners.
We always received compliments from friends and fellow diners about our son’s
dining habits. They were impressed and were not hesitant to share the
feedback.
We taught him, at an early age, each step to proper dining
etiquette. From what to do with his napkin, to where to place his napkin,
to which utensil to use for each phase of the meal, to what is acceptable while
dining. To this day (at the age of 15), he remembers everything we taught
him and displays his knowledge. We credit this to consistency.
Whether we are dining at home or at restaurants, the rules are the
same. The goal was, and still is, to ensure that he did not get confused because we
allowed him to dine one way at home and another way at a restaurant.
We made a concerted effort to always be consistent.
When baby #2 came along, we made sure that we continued to
rear her the same way. Of course, nothing is perfect, right? Our
daughter is the challenging one. So, we often have to take a different
approach with her. But overall, the goal is the same…be
consistent. We refuse to be embarrassed by our kids’ habits, of
which we can control. Keep in mind that good dining etiquette will serve
them well throughout their entire lives.
Remember, consistency is key!
If you need help in stressing the importance of dining etiquette to your children, check out my ebook, Where the Heck Are Our Children’s Table Manners?, on Amazon for the Kindle or Barnes & Noble for the Nook.
