Can you turn off the "teacher"?

Sometimes, I feel badly for MLG.  I know that his time out of school is different than that of his little friends.  For example, our family is out to eat (as we often are because I hate to cook). MLG will be happily coloring or writing on one of those kiddie menu/placemats they give out at restaurants, not a care in his little world...when it inevitably begins.  "Use your pinchy fingers." (That's our prompt for him to use the correct grasp.)   Now I'm sure this isn't what most parents are discussing at the restaurant table...but HOW?  How can I sit there and just let him be?  The "teacher" wins again. 

At home, in our office/playroom space, he has a calendar, weather, poetry, and an alphabet chart, complete with "pointers" for him to read the print around the room.  There's a library corner, dress up space and chalkboard easel as well. I rotate manipulatives in and out that I borrow from the classroom frequently. (I'm still kicking myself that I haven't set up his flannelboard yet!) Basically, it's a mini preschool.

One year, I went as far as to divide my Christmas shopping list up into the categories or math, science, language arts, social studies.  Who DOES this??  (Although I have to say, he has a wonderfully diverse array of toys that address all areas of development.) 

Is it just me, or does anyone else have trouble "turning off the teacher"??