Manners Academy Award

If you have boys, you probably have noticed that they grasp on really quickly to the things that you don't want them to. For example, armpit "noises" that no civilized person should be exposed to. Now, I understand that we all make these noises at one time or another, but to a young boy, it is like discovering gold to be able to do it with another part of the body that is not meant to make those kinds of noises. Do you feel my pain?? Then, when it comes to things like, say, good table manners, for instance, no one remembers a thing!! Even though you go through all the rules of what's acceptable and what is definitely NOT acceptable, every single time you sit down for a meal. It's like you are introducing a brand new concept every time! So I thought of something that might just help with the manners. I found an Academy Award plastic fake at Zurcher's yesterday. So I bought it with the intent of having it be awarded to the child with the "Best Manners" at the dinner table. Worked like a charm. They all stayed seated in their own chairs, ate with silverware, didn't complain about what was on their plates, said please and thank you and talked with civilized tones! Amazing!! It was so hard to choose just one. So I promised that today I would go and buy 2 more so everyone could earn the award. On my way home from the store, my personal chatter box in the back seat starts the usual chatter. I usually don't pay all my attention to her because she isn't expecting a response. This time I was slightly daydreaming when she says, "Dinner should not only taste good, it should feel good." Umm...yep, it should feel good. So my goal now with the awards for "Best Manners" and just every day meal time is that it not only should taste good, it should feel good. Of course, if you have boys, you know that something that worked like a charm last night may never work again! Wish me luck...