In New Zealand our kids always eat outside unless it's raining, this is from the first day of school right through to when they leave in high school. It has been like this for years, I used to eat my food outside, never affected me, I still have manners etc, never got sick from eating while sitting on the ground. Schools are to teach our children an education not to teach our kids to be people, that is our job as a parent. I find it offensive when a parent turns around and blames the school for their childs lack of manners etc. It happens far to often in schools down here. Teachers are paid to teach maths, english, science etc, not to parent our children. It's about time more parents took responsiblity for their own children and not leave it up to the schools.
If my kids want to sit on the floor at home, fine, but when eating we always sit at the table unless it's a snack like an apple or something, but they are always sitting when eating whether it's at the table or on the floor.
Now I'm not saying that you are a bad mum or anything, just giving you some background on what hapens here in NZ and that there is nothing wrong with sitting on the ground and it will not teach her to sit on the ground in a restaurant etc. Just my two cents worth.
