I have two boys, ages 5 and 11. Their idea of stimulating dinner discussion includes seeing who can burp their ABC's. So my DH came up with a plan. We give each boy 5 nickels at the start of dinnertime, and each time they do something that equals bad manners (i.e. burp, start eating before everyone has their meal, get up from the table without permission, use their hands instead of their utensils), we take away a nickel. At the end of the meal, whatever money they still have is theirs to keep. It really works!
We have also tried to stress that good manners will come in handy someday, when they start dating (they roll their eyes) or have job interviews. And we tell them that good manners isn't just about following rules--it's about being respectful of others.
What do YOU do to instill good manners in your kids? Or is that important to you? I want to know what you think!
