4 table manners rules every kid should know
Every parent wants their child to behave well wherever they are.
It’s an important skill for every kid to develop while they’re young. As they grow up, they’ll have to eat in front of others so it’s best to teach them what’s expected of them while they are still little.
People (kids included) with terrible table manners leave a negative impression of themselves with those around them. Because of this, teaching your kids table manners is crucial. The lessons learned at home will travel with the kid.
Many people know how important it is to eat together as a family, yet somehow the day-to-day grind gets in the way. Busy moms and dads don’t always have the time to focus on etiquette. For example, in most families the afternoon’s consist of sports practices, social events or dance classes. Gone are the days of relaxed family meals enjoyed at leisure and asking each other how their day went. You simply won’t have a chance to practice proper eating etiquette.
You should begin fitting in a couple of evenings where the whole family enjoys dinner time together and it is during this time that you can teach your children the dos and don’ts of etiquette. You can start by setting a regular schedule of when family dinners will take place and ensure you plan to make a special meal. Set the table as if you are expecting guests. Get rid of the plastic crockery and cutlery and use real glasses and silverware. Make sure it’s a fun experience even though you’ll be practising table manners.. Bear in mind that you can’t expect your kids to do something if you don’t do it yourself. You have to set the example.
Here are a few table manners rules every kid should know.
Please and thank you
It’s generally just good manners to say please and thank you. It’s the cornerstone of good manners and extends to table manners. Saying thank you should be like second nature to your family. This simple expression of recognition tends to be taken for granted. Because it’s so common, a please or thank you left unsaid becomes a glaring omission. These phrases show gratitude and appreciation instead of entitlement. As a family spending time together at the dining table is the time for kids to learn courtesy by saying these two phrases. It’s also a great opportunity to learn respect as each person can share something about their day. As a parent if you don’t teach your kids these two phrases you’re doing a great disservice to your children.
Table skills
You should start teaching table skills at the age of three. That’s the time when your kids will be able to sit properly at the dining table and have dinner with you. If you don’t, you’re going to have to unteach bad behaviour later in life. From where the silverware should be placed and how cutlery sets should be used to knowing their way around the place setting, all aspects are important in manners and etiquette. Kids should know how to properly hold and use a knife and fork. It’ll give them a sense of accomplishment and independence. Another thing you should teach them is how to eat in a clean way. You’ll be assured that your child will impress any other adults they eat with.
Speaking
As a parent, you should know to never speak with your mouth full. You have to pass that tip down to your kids as well. This goes hand-in-hand with chewing with your mouth closed, anything else is unacceptable. Encourage your kids to follow your lead. It’s distracting and disrespectful to speak to someone with food in your mouth. A mouth full of food is unpleasant to see and makes conversation difficult to hear. At worst, it’s very unappealing. You should teach your kids to never speak with food in their mouth. They also shouldn’t take a large amount of food and stuff their cheeks full. Make sure they know not to talk with even a little bit of food in their mouth. Also, teach them to wait after dining companions have finished chewing before asking questions.
What to do after dinner
Teach kids to sit up straight after dinner, even if they’re full. They shouldn’t announce to the table that they’re finished eating by pushing their plate to the front or away. One of the most important things that every kid should be taught is when to use toothpicks. These should only be used in private and not while sitting at the dining table or when they’re walking out of the restaurant. If they need to make use of a toothpick they should excuse themselves from the table to go to the bathroom.
These are the four basic table manners you can teach your child. Above all, good table manners are a must have, recognising that you aren’t alone at the table and what you do affects others. It’s easy to do the right things while at a dining table but true manners start with consideration for others.