| “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.” Emily Post | |
We were all sitting down to dinner and Pip was really enjoying the breaded-sole I had prepared.
"Mama, you sure are good at making fish."
"Thank you Sweetie."
"Thank-you, Mama, for making this really good fish-fry."
"You're very welcome Pip, it makes me really happy to know that you're enjoying it." (Sure, I went a bit over-the-top, but I wanted to reinforce how much I appreciated her lovely manners.)
"Daddy," began Pip, "when someone makes you a really good fish-fry, it's a good idea to thank them." (Yes, this is my three-year-old daughter talking. Verbatim.)
"You're right, Pip, that was really nice of you to thank Mama," said Big Daddy-O.
Silence. Obviously Big-Daddy-O was going to need some prompting.
"Daddy," Pip didn't seem to know how to proceed, so I interjected,
"Honey, I think your daughter was suggesting that you thank me for dinner."
"Oh, right, right...thanks for dinner Mama, this fish-fry is really, really good."
Bingo. You're brilliant Pip!
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I couldn't agree with you more! I can't wait for my little guy to speak in sentences so he can help Daddy with his barn-door manners. And how about that fish-fry recipe?
ReplyDeleteLove it Karen!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am grateful that my husband is so on the Mister Manners train - it'd be nice to get him on the "Let's get to the train station on time" track one of these days :)
is it okay to remind your spouse to say 'please' when asking you to pass or get him something, even when he says it in the nicest of tones?.....i know the wee ones are always listening....
ReplyDeleteGood for Pip. I could have used her at our family table many years ago!.....
ReplyDeleteSorry for the tardy response ladies...I was on Saltspring without my computer but I love coming home & reading your comments!
ReplyDeleteChelsea, there really is no 'recipe'....I get the Sole from Portugese Joe's, cover it in a little egg & milk mixture, then coat it it Italian bread crumbs & fry in the teensiest amount of oil possible. Squeeze some lemon on it & add a fresh herb from your garden & you're done.
Wendy, you're hilarious! I'm looking forward to meeting you at the station on the sixteenth!
Jen, we have that issue too! Rich and I are great with our 'thank you's' but not as good 'pleasing'...I wink at Rich if he doesn't say please because it seems a bit demoralizing to say, "What's the magic word husband???" Can you imagine???? Ha ha ha!!!!
And Aurora, Pip may pipe up at your dinner table one of these days, you never know!
Mmm, thinking about that fish has my tummy rumbling. And I just ate! Thanks for the "recipe". I'm going to try to get over to Joe's this week.
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