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John Brennan wrote:How about a Kids' Table? Happy Meals, pizza, bug juice, little toy XR's... maybe a face painter who can do the logo, or a guy that does balloon animals?

And doses of ritalin....

John Brennan wrote:How about a Kids' Table? Happy Meals, pizza, bug juice, little toy XR's... maybe a face painter who can do the logo, or a guy that does balloon animals?

Nice idea John, but these things all cost money. As it stands, we loose money on the dinner. That's okay - it's a conscious decision - but we need to be fiscally responsible. Thing is, we typically only have between 4 to 8 kids that attend, and in today's world, I don't know if parents would be willing to "ship them off" to their own table.

I hadn't meant the suggestion to be taken at face value-- this was another way of saying, why differentiate between young and old in the awards categories? You have older folks of talent and means; you have younger folks of talent and means as well. One could even argue that it's the younger ones, unburdened by things like mortgages, mouths to feed, ad infinitum, have more discretionary funds to spend on their cars than do the older ones. I see no reason, and only needless complication and division resulting from such a proposal. keep it simple, keep it level, keep it one.

(In fact, as a parent and restaurateur, I despise Kids' Menus and kiddy food, crayons and Etch-A-Sketches, and anything else which comes between kids and the real world-- kids need to learn table manners, and social customs as well-- insulating them from this as we tend to do makes social imbeciles of them.)

Holy missed point Batman!

Interesting and timely commentary on the kids and restaurants comment, as I was just in a restaurant with a good friend and her two kids aged 2 and 6 this past weekend. They're reasonably well-behaved and smart beyond their years. The 6 year-old promptly took the crayons and starting adding items to the kids menu, using the "adult menu" as a reference. It was quite hilarious.

Well, it's not your fault-- sometimes, in my writing style, to make a point I'll lead with a jab, to be followed by the haymaker, if you know what I mean.

I still think that not differentiating on the basis of age is a good idea. Where would one draw the line?

John Brennan wrote:I still think that not differentiating on the basis of age is a good idea. Where would one draw the line?

I guess I'd draw the line where the effort would be futile and/or disruptive. Expecting a 2 year-old to comply with the same set of table manners as an adult, may be asking a bit too much. That said, the one I spent the weekend with covered his mouth on the couple occasions that he sneezed (at the dinner table and otherwise). That may sound insignificant, but it spoke volumes to me about how he's being raised. So yea, I generally agree with your point John.

Can somebody remind me what the subject topic started out as here???

I was talking about the awards! A suggestion was made to have separate awards for younger members; that's what I was commenting on.

I still hope there is a "most pregnant " award, heehee

Can someone enter if they get "that way" at the Motel?

YMMV

HAAHAA Ed!