Cocktails, the importance of

It is never too early for the well-mannered modern parents to instill in their children a profound respect for the sanctity of the cocktail hour. This is the beginning of the adult portion of the day and well-mannered children are welcome to the extent that they can behave appropriately. This means sipping their beverage politely, passing hors d’ouvers, not mixing up the cheese knives and leaving some shrimp cocktail for the adults. Astute children realize that this is when adults “talk about things” and if they stay quiet and listen they may learn some pretty juicy stuff.