A Note about Dining with Children When you just can’t leave them at home… James Paxton
So tonight, you are finally going for dinner at the stupendous three-star restaurant you've read so much about.
But “the kids” are traveling with you, and high school table manners are “comme çi, comme ça.”.
“Junior” will definitely wear a jacket and tie, and I will not have it any other way young man, and the "little princess” will not wear a tank top without a bra, simply because “I say so.”
But, how are they going to perform when seated in front of the very formal place setting of crystal, china, fine silverware — a minimum of three glasses and nine spoons, forks and knives!
Fortunately, they know how to hold their utensils. Thanks to that horrible Christmas dinner, when Aunt Martha asked you if “Junior” was developing carpel tunnel syndrome when making a fist to hold his fork like that. Darling Aunt Martha…always so observant and vocal.
So now is the moment to remind your little prodigies to use utensils (start from the outside first and to work your way inward), break the bread before each bite, keep their napkins on their knees until they leave the table and use the damn thing to blot their lips before they drink. If you are going to let them drink wine, you can’t accept a muddy rim on a baccarat glass.
Anyway, you should not worry. Have a glass of wine yourself and let the night play itself out, course by course. After all, the other patrons are foodies as well and will be caught up in their own conversation at a table at least eight feet away from yours. You can also be assured that the staff has seen more than one drinking from a finger ball, so relax and have a great time. If something happens to go wrong, remember keep a stiff upper lip and your sense of humor intact!
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