and did your bum remain on your seat for the entire meal?

I think I (and my siblings) are the way we are because of our Childhoods. We were grew up in Married Quarters. We had respect for our elders, people in Services, elderly etc. We were never allowed to eat in supermarkets. Everything was please/thank you. Everything (even water) had to asked for.

We were out playing most of the day, we used to be told to be home for a certain time and we did it (well, till teens stage )

Kids now? They want, and they have it. Parents are too scared of saying no them, and then the respect that should have been learnt at home, is not developed at school. Thus we have the society that we have.

Oh yes we were not allowed to get down from teh table until and unless we had asked permission and been given it.

Same world as me, poke of winkles on the way to my Gran's was about as close to eating out as I got ( can someone hear violins playing ? ).

Yes, my son is still only four and is very cute (in my eyes anyway ). It is hard to stay mad with him for long. I don't smack him, but he does regularly get sent to his bedroom, has privileges such as toys/TV etc taken away and has to do a few wee chores to make up for it. He also always must say please/thank you, excuse me, may I leave the table etc. I think my parents high standards have rubbed off a little on me (for which I am now grateful, but I am sure I wasn't at the time LOL).

Ben looking as though butter wouldn't melt

That is one of the funniest sketches ever!

I have two friends ( both single mothers ) who have reared lovely kind, hard working children doing exactly that, i can't say raising kids is easy, I wouldn't know, never having felt the urge for them, but it's common sense surely. Kids need rules and boundaries just like everyone else.

ps, Ben is very cute, even though he's not a puppy