[Radar]

Our mom was pretty strict about table manners, and manners in general, especially if we went out to eat. You did not have your elbows on the table, you did not wear a hat at the table, you must wash your hands before dinner, you don't argue or even laugh at the table. You don't speak with your mouth full. You pass the food when asked, and you asked to be excused if you want to leave the table for any reason. You kept your napkin in your lap. When you asked someone to pass the food you would say please and thank you. If eating chicken or something like that, dad always got the biggest piece.

You were expected to be on time for dinner and if you weren't, you got into trouble. There were 3 of us, so one would clean up the table, one would wash dishes, and one would dry them and put them away. We had a dish washer, but my mom didn't trust them.

Dinner time was when we talked about what was going on at school, or my dad would talk about his day at work, etc.

If we were outside in a restaurant and we did anything to embarrass our parents, there was no question that a beating was coming. Often times at restaurants, complete strangers would approach our table and tell our parents how well behaved we were.

I seriously think having the family dinner thing and expecting kids to have table manners helps them to be more respectful and keeps them on the right track. When I was a kid, I thought my parents were crazy and I hated them. Now that I'm older, I'm thankful they loved us enough to do the right thing even though it would have been easier to allow us to turn into animals like some of the other kids we saw running around, back talking, etc.