That T-Shirt is NOT a Napkin!

No matter what I do, my kids use their shirt as a napkin. I put napkins on the plates, no food can be dispersed until the napkin is on the lap. They put it on their lap & forget about it. Gross.

Anonymous, on Facebook*

For any behavior change, kids need tools, skills and motivation. OK, napkins are just as convenient as shirts when you already have one on your lap.  So you’ve given them the tools.  Now they just need the skill and the motivation. The skill in this case is not wiping.  Clearly they have that one.  The skill they need is the habit to reach for the napkin. Easiest way to do that with a sense of humor is shirtless dinner.  If modesty is an issue or you have girls too old to go topless, they could wear short-sleeved PJ tops (those things are so tight they couldn’t use it as a napkin if they tried) to dinner.  Or get creative and have them wear Halloween costumes to dinner, those plastic kind from the dollar store. If you are too frustrated to take the fun route, you can make it a different game.  Whoever uses their shirt instead of the napkin needs to clear everyone’s dishes after the meal.   Then if another child does it, they need to wash the table.  Someone else?  Load the dishwasher or sweep the floor.  Look at it this way – their dirty shirts = your clean kitchen! This way you are giving them the skill –the habit – of using their napkin.  The motivation lies in whatever game or consequence you make of it.  And remember – you are already a step ahead of most families, including mine.  My boys are not yet putting a napkin on their laps, we’re working on using the darn silverware! *Wondering how you can be “anonymous” on Facebook?  Send me a question on Facebook www.facebook.com/AskDoctorG and then ask to be anonymous!