Etiquette for Children

I've raised a Mr. Grabby-Hands

I realized we had become lax on enforcing proper etiquette and table manners for our son when he reached for the bread basket while we were being served on our cruise.

The server quickly looked from my son to me to my husband and back to my son like he had never seen such an ill-mannered human in all of his life.

And then I think my son realized he really shouldn't have just reached his hand right into a basket full of bread and plucked out the brioche he was eyeing.  But, he wasn't exactly sure what he should have done.

I couldn't be upset with him. It was my fault he didn't know what to do in that situation. I realized I had coddled him. I am the guilty party. Just as if I had reached my hand right into that basket myself. I had not taught him better.

Now don't get me wrong, we take our son to nice restaurants quiet often and he certainly has not seen my husband or me getting grabby hands at the table. But I realized I had not taken the time to intentionally teach him what to do. It hasn't become natural for him to wait for the bread to be placed on his bread plate. He didn't know.

Right then and there I decided our lessons this summer were going to include a full course of etiquette for little boys. I checked locally and formal lessons do not begin until the age of 12. So, guess who will be leading lessons this summer? You got it, me. I'm sure I'll learn a ton, too.

I think I will have to blog through these lessons, don't you think?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia