To include or not include: Liz Atwood debates whether to have children at dinner parties in this week's Tween Tuesday:

Recently, I held a dinner party for some friends and debated whether to include the kids. On the one hand, I’m a big proponent of family meals and I didn’t feel right excluding them. I think both kids and adults can learn from talking to each other. On the other hand, four of my guests do not have children and the idea of having to mind the kids’ manners while overseeing the dinner party was more than I could bear.

I decided to give the kids the choice of attending. Both opted out, although several times during the evening I asked the boys if they’d like to join us.

The older one pretty much stayed in his room although he ventured out once to say hello. The younger one mingled a bit more and joined us for dessert on the patio.

I had a good time and it was easier for me to socialize without worrying about my kids’ behavior, but I wondered how other parents handle these situations.

Do you usually include your kids in your dinner parties? If so, how do you manage it?