| After interviewing for an exciting employment | | | | responsibility and will happily and proudly set the table |
| opportunity, the young candidate was rejected, | | | | each evening. Put placemats, napkins, silverware, |
| "When I asked for real feedback, the interviewer | | | | plates, cups and bowls within reach of children to |
| told me that although my job skills and education | | | | facilitate easy table setting. A good idea in homes |
| were a good fit, some of my table manners raised a | | | | with small children is to purchase nice quality melamine |
| red flag. The position entails many client dinners and I | | | | dishes so when plates drop they will not break. |
| guess I had a few bad habits that they saw at meals | | | | Children do not learn proper table manners overnight. |
| during the interview process." The candidate | | | | It takes years of repetition and consistent training to |
| continued, "I would have loved to have been taught | | | | refine their skills. Parents have eighteen years to help |
| proper table manners by my parents. I feel at a real | | | | shape their child's table manners so there is plenty of |
| disadvantage, and I am quite frankly, embarrassed by | | | | time to patiently work with them. Expect lots of |
| my lack of manners." | | | | errors and missteps, use gentle guidance, never scold |
| Sadly the situation the interviewee faced above is | | | | or embarrass, just kindly correct and continue eating. |
| not uncommon. Competition is fierce for good jobs | | | | If parents begin teaching manners when their children |
| and seats in good universities. There are many more | | | | are toddlers, by the time the kids are in kindergarten |
| highly qualified applicants than positions. Polished table | | | | they will have mastery of the basics. |
| skills are a needed asset and social skill in this | | | | The following is a list of table manners that your child |
| competitive culture. | | | | should have a good grasp of by age six. |
| Every parent wants to launch their children into the | | | | Wash their hands and face before sitting down to |
| world with the skills they need to succeed. Equipping | | | | the table. |
| children with good table manners is an important | | | | Sit down in their proper seat and put their napkin in |
| lesson that all parents should want to give to their | | | | their lap. |
| children. Using good table manners allows the focus | | | | Wait to begin eating until everyone is seated and has |
| to be placed on the conversation not on the act of | | | | been served. Many families wait until an adult gives |
| eating. Having good table manners gives people the | | | | permission to start eating. |
| confidence to participate in any dining situation with | | | | Stay seated in their seats without wiggling in their |
| ease. | | | | chairs, going under the table, or getting up and down. |
| Start introducing manners lessons slowly to very | | | | Say, "Excuse Me," and ask permission to leave the |
| young children and add more refined lessons as the | | | | table. |
| child matures. Consistency and repetition are very | | | | Elbows do not belong on the table. |
| important when teaching children. Parents will have to | | | | Mouths should stay closed while chewing and pieces |
| reinforce the rules time and time again until good | | | | should be bite sized. |
| practices become habit. Remind children whenever a | | | | "May I please" and "Thank you" should be used when |
| slip in manners occurs but don't scold or nag. | | | | children would like food and never reach across the |
| Practicing good manners daily will eventually lead to | | | | table. |
| mastery and manners will become second nature. As | | | | Participate in the conversation during dinner and no |
| children develop fine motor skills, their use of utensils | | | | interruptions when other people are talking. |
| and glassware will improve. With constant repetition, | | | | Slurping, burping, squealing, singing, humming are all |
| by the early teen years, kids will have built up a | | | | sounds that are not to be made at the table. |
| comprehensive collection of manners which parents | | | | It is never kind or polite to make negative comments |
| need only fine-tune for teens to be capable of | | | | about what is being served for dinner. |
| attending the most formal of occasions. | | | | Before getting up at the end of the meal say, "May I |
| For the well being of the children, even busy families | | | | please be excused?" |
| should find the time to sit down together each | | | | Ask if adults would like them to clear their dinner |
| evening for a meal. The most simple of meals, | | | | plate. |
| including take-out fare, are fine choices. Make sure | | | | Thank the cook. |
| that the food is transferred and/or served in serving | | | | Preparing children for adulthood starts the moment |
| dishes and that the family uses dinnerware. If dinner | | | | the baby is placed in the arms of the mother. |
| is impossible on certain evenings, families can sit | | | | Teaching children to use good table manners is a |
| down later in the evening for dessert; make sure to | | | | wonderful gift that will serve them well throughout |
| set the table and use dinnerware and utensils. | | | | their entire lives. Parents will be proud that their |
| Teaching children the proper way to set the table is | | | | children are using the good manners that they have |
| a perfect start for introducing the use of utensils, | | | | taught them, and more importantly children will be |
| plates and glasses. Explain where each utensil is | | | | polished and refined and capable of being comfortable |
| placed, what it is for, when it is used, and the correct | | | | in any situation. |
| way to hold it. Young children love being given a | | | | |