- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preschoolers today articles
- preschoolers today q&a
- children today articles
- children today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
A Mouthful of Peas
Teaching the Bad Manners Game
By Lisa Cohn
"I was only breaking the rules," said Travis. "You asked me to break the rules."
"Allison, listen," said Emily. "Chris broke one rule: You're not supposed to sing at the table. Travis broke about 104 rules."
"Travis likes to break the rules," observed Allison.
"OK, kids," Bill said, motioning for Travis to sit down. "Why aren't you supposed to sing at the table?"
Emily adjusted the shoulders of her dress. "You may be singing a song that the other guests don't know the words to. That would feel 'rejecting' for the guests," she said, borrowing her psychologist-dad's vocabulary word.
"If they don't know the words, they will feel left out," Allison offered. "That's bad manners."
"If they sing off key, everyone will get sick to their stomach," said Travis.
"Very good," said Bill. "All good reasons to avoid singing at the table."
"And what rules did Travis break just now?" I asked.
"He didn't raise his hand before taking his turn," said Allison.
"He stood on his chair," said Chris.
"He used bad words," said Emily.
"I sang a song that's been banned from our house," Travis added.
I smiled at Bill. "Now I think we're getting somewhere."
"Travis likes to be bad," Allison said. "That's bad manners."
Bill nodded at Allison. "The whole point of the Bad Manners Game is to learn when it's OK to break the rules and when it's not OK," he said. "Sometimes it's OK to break the rules, if we're all at home being silly or playing the Bad Manners Game. But when Gramma comes to visit or if you're eating at a restaurant, what do you do?"