"When children visit someone's house, it's a really good time to instill that they need to be polite and respect the rules of others. When you're at home it's totally different and you can expect to be much more relaxed, but when going to Grandma's, or a restaurant, or the grocery store, it's a great time to reel it in and practice our social skills."
"And I do, too (for the most part). I was raised not to interrupt adults, and I think it's served me very well in life. If the letter had come from the son and daughter-in-law, my response would have been different. But often with these questions I think a lot about what power, if any, we have to compel others to change."
A grandparent expressed frustration that her son and daughter-in-law allow children to interrupt adult conversations during visits. The grandparent believes outings are opportunities to teach politeness and respect for others' rules, recalling parental pre-visit talks that taught valuable social skills. The son did not change after the complaint, prompting reflection on how much influence one has over others' parenting choices. A personal upbringing that discouraged interrupting adults is described as serving well in life. Choosing battles is recommended, acknowledging that childhood phases pass, and continued modeling of polite behavior may yield better results than confrontation.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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