>(Devon) wrote: > >> It seems to me that most of the respondents who adhere to the practice >> of >> excusing themselves and others from the table are Europeans or former >> Europeans.
Hmm, my parents adhered to it, and family on both sides has been in the US for 200-400 years. My grandmother would have had a conniption if we had left the table without asking to be excused. My child-training philosophy comes from my dog-training philosophy: you are *always* teaching them with every thing you do and say, so they might as well learn what you want them to know. Consistent discipline gives a dog (or a child) a mental map: this is *always* no, this is usually yes, this is a maybe. What makes kids and dogs crazy is inconsistency. I have a friend who over the course of 18 months lost all four of his children to car accidents, so I am no discipline-mad monster. We go out for ice cream, and once in a while I will buy treats. But if I say "No", I stick to it -- whining and tantrums won't work. And if I say "Yes," we *will* do it, none of the "someday" and "when we get around to it" that never happened. I say "please" and "thank you" to my son and husband, so it is no surprise to me when both of them say "please" and "thank you" back. It sure amazes some people, though! Lynn Carpenter in SW Michigan, USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED]
