Table Manners For Young Children

Having good table manners is important for young children. The table etiquette should be taught and cultivated as early as possible. It is not just about eating properly. It is about being thoughtful and respecting other people on the same table.
Let me share with you some practical tips which you can apply on your kids.
· What is the basic thing a kid should do before and after having his or her meals? It is important for the parents to fix one house rule, i.e. kids must wash their hands and faces before and after every meal. Cleanliness is the most important.
· Some young children like to bring along their toys or pets when they are having meals. It is not correct. Never ever allow your kids to bring along anything to the dining table.
· Having the right body posture is important. Kids must be reminded to sit up straight when they are at the dining table.
· If there are guests or other family members joining the meals, you should tell your kids to wait for everyone to be seated at the table before they can start having their meals.
· Tell your kids to chew their food with mouth closed. At the same time, you need to remind them not to talk when their mouth is full. It is impolite and they may have a choke. They must be reminded to cover their mouth if they sneeze at the dining table.
· When young children are dining outside, it is important for you to teach them not to give negative comments about any food served. Even if the food is bad, they should not be "too honest" as it may hurt someone's feeling.
· Saying "Thank you" after the meals is essential. We need to teach our young children to appreciate what they have. They should be grateful for having sufficient food to eat. At the same time, ask your children to thank the person who prepares the meals.
· It is rude to reach over someone's plate for something. Hence, you need to remind your kids to say "Excuse me" and "Please" when they want to ask for something.
As all of us are aware, young kids like to imitate the adults. As parents, you are the role models to your kids. Hence, you are reminded to show good examples when you are having meals with them. Start practicing good manners with your kids on the table from today onwards.

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How to Teach Table Manners

Why are manners important?
Your children use their social skills in all aspects of their lives, from the playground to the classroom, to the workplace. The success of these relationships depend, to a large extent, on their social skills. By teaching your children good manners, you are actually helping your child develop strategies for being successful in their relationships!

What are social skills but the skills that enable us to interact easily with other people? And what are manners but behaviors that make other people feel comfortable and appreciated? A child with good manners is a child who knows how to treat other people well and is, therefore, much more likable as a result.

We are not born with good manners. Our children need to be shown over and over how to behave in situations. The table is a good place to start teaching children these skills. Table manners teaches your children courtesy towards other people. In addition, table manners allow children to feel confident, whether they are eating at a friend's place or at a restaurant. Even though your children may be kind and smart, other people will judge them on how they behave. Help them make a good impression by teaching these basic skills.

Ways to teach table manners
1. Set a good example. Children learn a lot by watching you so show courtesy to others. Say 'thank you' and 'please'; don't reach across the table for the water, ask someone to pass it to you.
2. Keep it simple. Aim to master one or two manners at a time before adding a new skill or situation to master.
3. Rehearse. Have special dress-up family dinners on a regular basis with good dinnerware, tablecloth and napkins. Invite friends or relatives and ask everyone to make a point of being on their best behavior. Make it fun!
4. Use a reward system. What about a jellybean jar for each child, and adding a jellybean for each polite behavior observed at the table. Allow them to eat some for dessert. For people who don't want to encourage eating sweets, use some other form of reward system.
5. Have 'What if' scenarios. 'What would you do if you drop your spoon on the floor?' 'What would you do if you hate the dinner someone served?'
6. Praise efforts. Recognize and praise your children efforts.
7. Print the rules. Make or buy place mats with table manners printed on them. Get the kids involved in making and decorating the place mats. Have a fun quiz over dinner to see who remembers the most rules.

So where do you start?

Talk to your kids about these basic rules and explain why they should do it. For example, table manners are about showing consideration for the other people around the table and not doing anything that would turn them off their food.

1. Eat with cutlery unless the food is meant to be eaten with fingers.

2. Don't put too much food in your mouth.

3. Chew with your mouth closed.

4. Don't talk with lots of food in your mouth.

5. Keep your elbows close to your sides.

6. Don't say anything bad about the meal even if you didn't like it.

7. Always say 'thank you' when served something.

8. Wait until mom or the host starts eating before you start eating.

9. Don't use a knife to put food in your mouth. Use a spoon or fork.

10. Keep your elbows off the table.

11. Don't reach over the table for something. Politely ask for it to be passed to you.

12. Do not pick anything out of your teeth. If it bothers you, ask to be excused and go to the bathroom to

get it out.

13. Napkins should always be on your lap. It is there to dab your face if you get a bit of sauce, etc, on it.

14. When eating at someone's home, always thank the host for the meal. Even if you didn't like it,

someone took a lot of time to prepare it so show appreciation.

15. Always ask 'May I be excused?' or 'May I go?' before leaving the table.

Teaching your children table manners is an important social skill they can use throughout their lives. Once mastered, it won't be forgotten - rather like riding a bike. And it only takes a few minutes a day, or a couple of nights a week.

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Tips to Teach Your Children Table Manners

Table manners now becomes an important thing since sometimes there must be invitation for you to go out for formal breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other formal occasion. Actually, table manners are not only important for adults, but it is also important for your children. For that reason, you need to teach your children about this. Here are some tips for you to consider when you have to take them to formal occasion.

We all know that most of children are still innocent. They maybe do not know and understand if sometime they are doing something wrong or even can make you embarrassing. Just like what happen at the eating time. It is possible for children to throw foods, spill drinks, or yell across the dinner table. This is just because they have not understood yet about table manners. Thus, this is the duty of parents to teach them about it.

The first best way to teach your children is by practicing a good attitude while you are having meal. Show them how to properly eat on the table. Since children mostly follow what their parents do, showing them example of a good manners while eating will give good impact for them.

Furthermore, you can start to teach them by washing hands before they start to eat. Instead of showing a good manners, this can also give your children care of health. Since children love to play everywhere, it is possible for them to take dirt thing that contains certain bacteria or germ.

Moreover, you need to teach them of saying politely while eating. Show them how to ask help in polite way when they want to take food that is far from them. Besides, you also have to teach them how to excuse when they have to leave the table earlier. Finally, do not forget to give them praise and reward for your children when they can show a good table manners. Giving praise and reward for them will potentially make them to continue this good behavior.

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Teaching Kids Table Manners

Kids' table manners seem to be in short supply, at least with the kids I have seen at school, parties and restaurants. I have made it clear to my kids that table manners are important, make dining more pleasant for everyone, and increase their chances of being invited back again.

Here are a few ideas and important table manners that are good to instill in our children.

• Sit upright with good posture.
• Keep chair legs on the floor.
• Place your napkin on your lap and make sure to use it.
• Wait until everyone has been served before eating.
• Pass condiments, salt and pepper around the table as opposed to across it.
• Ask someone to pass you an item instead of reaching over them.
• Remember to say "Thank you" when something is passed to you.
• Say "No thank you" politely if you are offered something you don't like.
• Do not take huge portions.
• Don't stuff food into your mouth.
• Don't talk with food in your mouth.
• Keep you arms and elbows off the table. You may rest the on the table after the meal is over and dishes have been removed.
• Don't pick your teeth at the table. If there is food stuck between your teeth, discreetly remove it.
• Ask to be excused before leaving the table.

As a parent, it is wonderful to get positive feedback on how well behaved your children are. Good manners should become second nature to your kids and will serve them well later in life when they go to important functions, dinner meetings or dates.

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