Lip Smacking Good

I need some advice.

As some of my long time readers know, I believe in teaching my children manners, and I expect them to use what they have been taught. I do take into account that their disabilities may impact their use of manners sometimes, but most of the time I have found that my children with disabilities can use proper manners just as effectively as my children without disabilities.

But, I’m having a tough time teaching Ronnie one thing in particular. He makes a lot of noise when he eats.

I’ve always taught my children to chew with their mouths closed. I don’t think it is appropriate to make a lot of lip smacking noises when eating. And before you lecture me on how that is a quite acceptable practice in other countries, I remind you that we don’t live in those countries, and it is unlikely we will ever visit there. If we do, I will let my children make as many mouth noises as they like.

But in the meantime, I really, really don’t like the sound of someone chewing with their mouth open.

Here’s the rub. Ronnie can’t hear the noises that he makes since he is deaf. Every time I remind him to chew with his mouth closed, he looks at me like I have four eyes. I tell him that he is making lots of noise with his mouth, and he looks at me like those four eyes have turned to six.

I know that eventually he will catch on, but eventually could take a long time like it did with my now 18 year old son, Corey. I’m looking for a quicker fix though.

So, if you have any ideas or techniques, please share!

(p.s. And I know there are a lot worse problems in the world than making noises while one eats, but today, this is the issue I chose to discuss – you know, that whole ‘this is my blog’ thing….)