Dining Etiquette: Do your children make good dinnertime guests?

Today Ragu posted the question… Do you think kids are better behaved when holiday guests are visiting?

My answer: No!

At least not with my extended family.  My kids are great at restaurants.  I’d say we’ve eaten out a lot in their lives, especially with traveling and visiting family in another state.  They grew up going out in public and learned to act right at a young age.  My tolerance isn’t very high, I’ll admit.  I’ve never had complaints when they visit others in their homes either.  We often have guests over to grill out during the summer and sometimes have our friends from church over for dinner.  My children are pretty well behaved then too.  Usually just excited to see our friends.

But… get our large family together and it’s like we’re at a zoo.  My nephews are pretty hyper and if my sister reads this post she’ll know it’s true, nothing bad, just facts.  All the kids get excited to be somewhere new and around their family that they bounce off the walls.  Maybe it’s because we are family and not strangers that the kids feel more comfortable.  Either way, during the holidays when our family gets together it’s loud and crazy.  Adults included.  Except me, of course…

Do your children make good dinnertime guests?  When your family gets together for the holidays is it total chaos?