Manners? We don't need no stinkin manners!

Ny dear hubby has been trying to instill some manners in our boys lately. He has gotten them to stand at their seats, waiting for me to sit down first before they sit. It has instigated some comical situations.
There was one dinner time when the boys were standing, patiently waiting, and I kept on puttering with assorted details before finally taking my seat. I dragged out my little tasks and added several before finally approaching the table. We eat in the kitchen, so I was in full view as each little job was discovered and completed. Oh, there is no salt on the table. Didn't anyone put glasses out? (We are very casual.) Oh, I need some ice, don't you? It became almost absurd, but then I finally sat down, and the two boys raced each other to see which of them would land first.

This ongoing race to see who would plant their derrieres fastest began to eclipse the manners we were trying to instill, so my husband had a talk with the boys, letting them know that the winner was not the child who sat down before the other, but that the winner was the one who sat LAST. This has turned into another ridiculous competition, and now they are trying to eat dinner while straddling, but not occupying their chairs.

Whenever the children actually start to get the point that we are trying to get across on the first go around, that means that we are done, right?
Oh the joys of the boys!