Eating Out Parents' Education

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Eating out is part of the education parents provide, to prepare kids for life outside with co-workers, business partners, team mates, girlfriends and boyfriends. Kids in western societies cannot wait for the magical 18, when they become adults legally, so that they can do as they please, which includes going out with friends, and not with mama and papa.

But they lay the foundation, if they are parents that can afford eating out regularly. It is not the food itself, but unwritten rules about dealing with outsiders like waiters (servers). If there’s respect at home, kids grow up respecting men and women doing their job. Please and thank you apply. Kids that are used to going out understand the word choice and that is what the menu is all about. Unfortunately, most menus are littered with French and Italian words. Parents break it down for the kids. They might even even pronounce it the ‘correct’ way. Kids learn that in most instances, the menu has the same food they have at home, but the price is different.

Croissant at the bakery : $2.50

Croissant at the bistro/restaurant: $6

Rotisserie chicken at the grocery store: $13

Rotisserie chicken at the bistro/restaurant: $18 sandwich

Bottled water at the grocery store: $2.50

Bottled water at the bistro/restaurant: $8

Only parents know the price difference but they take kids out for the experience. Most parents settle the bill with credit cards because they don’t have cash, but the smile on kids’ faces is worth going over the budget.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Blogger Without Borders

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