Happy Holiday Hostess - Part 2

So, The Pastor’s coming to visit and you love to stay late and talk. Or maybe an older couple that you really look up to, and you would like to glean some wisdom. But what are the kids going to do? You can’t very well, send them out to a baby sitter. They deserve the privilege of enjoying the visit also.

This visit might take a little more prep time on your part, but this is where you get to enjoy the fruit of your labor as your kids get to “show off” how good they are.

First, you want to prepare your kids for the visit. Explain ahead of time who’s coming to dinner. Tell them how important these people are to you, and how much you are looking forward to their visit. By lifting your guests up, your children will have a sense of importance of their role on the night to come.

Explain to your kids how you are expecting the night to go. When having dinner at a table dominated by adults:

ä         At the table, children should only speak when they are spoken to. (remember, tonight is not about them)

ä         Children should learn never to interrupt an adult conversation.

ä         They are to eat quietly and mannerly. Even three year olds can understand this, and as much as your night may not go perfectly the evening should not revolve around your children.

ä         If they eat properly and finish their food, they can have dessert. If there is a problem, they will have to miss out on the rest of the night by going to bed early, or by laying down on the floor in the living room.

ä         If they can be trusted to play nicely in their room, then let them play for a while after dinner. If playing in their room, is more hassle for you; have them come with you into the living room, where they can sit quietly and color, or read a book. (a helpful hint: if they are going to sit in the living room, give them a bath towel to sit on that they are not allowed to get off of. This way, they know their boundaries, and you do too.)

The whole point is, that YOU should be able to have friends over without the evening revolving around your kids. And that’s not healthy for them anyway. By learning to sit quietly, they will learn that older people are treasures of wisdom. They will also be learning that there are times that they need to contain themselves, and wait for the time when they can have some attention.

Be Assured… when your children learn to behave properly, they will get plenty of positive attention. Children that are obedient and respectful are a rarity. They will LOVE hearing the praise of how well they have behaved!