Manners

I try to model, practice, teach, preach & exude BALANCE; who knows how out of whack I'd be if I didn't have kids!  My goal being to nurture their creativity, enjoy their stages through childhood & simultaneously to introduce manners & useful tools that are accepted by most people so they can be confident, capable adults.

Raised by very mannerful parents, I was forced to regularly practice eating dinner very formally, no elbows on the table, certainly no burping.  Now a mom of 8 & 9 year olds, I was having so much more fun NOT enforcing those rules that I gave up & accepted our playful goofy dining experiences every night.  We laugh a lot & it feels really good.

I taught them once how to eat properly & thought they'd understand when to use it (with Grandma & Grandpa.)  But that isn't happening; my parents are appalled at their animal-like, hyper demeanors.  I'm so bummed to have to be strict like my parents were with me. (I was so sure I could accomplish the same results without being serious, but they don't take me seriously unless I'm really serious.)  So I've got to balance out their hyperness with some emily-postness.

I'm glad to have the foundation of proper etiquette & know it's beneficial in life.  So here I go, trying to halfway undo the years of burping & spinning & joking at the dinner table.  Maybe doing every other night serious & silly will work.

Most importantly what's for dessert?  I guess we'll have to stop squirting whipped cream into our mouths some of the time too.