Etiqutte Dinner

Last night we had an etiquette dinner for the youth of our ward. We gave them about 30 minutes of instruction and then we had them pair off and go to dinner. We tried to break up the clicks and have the boys practice opening the doors and holding out the chairs. At first, there were so many red faces and it was awkward, but then they loosened up and realized these are the same kids from church every Sunday. I think it was a great lesson and the kids really had fun. They had the chance to ask some of the older couples questions about dating. I started laughing because I realized that I didn't have answers to those questions, but thankfully they never asked me. They asked what was our favorite movie when you were dating each other? I don't think Chad and I watched too many movies together. We did listen to a lot of music, so I would have to say Harry Conick Junior was our music. Then they asked what our most memorable date was, and I could think of going down to SLC and seeing the Christmas lights on Temple Square. Then I had to confess one of my most fun dates was not with my husband, but in high school a boy took me paint balling and I loved it. I haven't done it since, but I did buy Chad a paintball gun for Christmas. Maybe I will get one and we can go paint balling one of these days. Then it was asked what impressed the girls the most about their husbands when they were dating. I had to chuckle because mine was the fact that my husband was and still is a gentleman. He held open the door for me, he offered his arm when we walked, he had no problem meeting my family, and (don't laugh) when he was done using the bathroom, he always put the seat down. I was impressed by those things because I knew he did them to show respect. I am grateful for my mother and father in law that taught my husband such great manners. I know that manners have fallen by the wayside lately, but they are so important. I try to work on manners with my girls and I will continue to do so. When my girls get older, Chad wants to take them out on daddy daughter dates so that he can show them what a young man should treat them like. He wants to show them that the gentleman will open the car door, the door into a building, he will make a girl feel like she is the most important person in the world, and he will treat her with the up most respect. We value these ideas because manners never become old fashioned.