A Noble Effort

I make every effort to teach my children manners. They try. They really do.

Occasionally I make the kids something for dinner and then Robert will pick something up for he and I on the way home from a meeting. I use these nights to make the kids something either ridiculously lazy and kid friendly like mac & cheese with weenies, or something that uses leftovers.

On one particular night my raiding of the fridge produced cheese tortellini with a spinach marinara-ish sauce. I'm sure I made a fruit salad or something to balance it out. I don't remember exactly. Whatever it was, it wasn't the issue.

I called my kids to the table.

They'd had a very pleasant afternoon. They'd been very sweet and kind to each other. As much as I enjoy this, I have noticed a trend. This behavior by my children leads to well intended conversations like this.

T: Wow mom. Thank you for this dinner. It looks very, um, interesting.
B: Uh mom, could I please have some ranch please?
t(saying the prayer): Thank you for the dinner mom made. Please help it to not taste bad and please help us to not say bad things about it.

They now begin eating. Again, this is just tortellini. Really, a glorified spaghetti. It's not like I've gone Moroccan on them.

T: Mom, this is actually good.
M: Thanks Ty.
T: I mean, it looks disgusting...
t: Sure does.
T: ... but it tastes actually pretty good.
M: Thanks Ty.
B: Excuse me mom, could I please have some ketchup or something? Please?

Bailey and I now begin discussing the level of nastiness involved in the combining of her dinner with ranch and/or ketchup.

Ty and Trey continue a side conversation on the astounding fact that despite how absolutely repulsive the dinner looked, it was indeed edible, and even more surprising, moderately good.

T(after maybe 5 bites): Mom, this was so delicious I just am so full.

Trey agrees and thanks me for being such a great "cooker" even though I make gross looking stuff.

Bailey manages to have a few ranchless and ketchupless bites. I don't think she thanked me.
She didn't yell, though. I'll take it.

My expectations?
My children should speak kindly. Check.
My children should try new foods. Check.
My children should look for the positive in people and situations. Check.

My new expectations?
My children should sit, eat, and keep their sugar-coated opinions to themselves.