Are you in hyperdrive balancing work-family responsibilities while juggling your children’s school, sports and social activities? Probably!
Caution alert: Careening through the fast-food drive-thru, downing energy bars and inhaling smoothies on the run has taken a toll on civilized table manners. Add to that, several years of Covid social isolation and table etiquette can easily fall into the abyss. Eating out of pizza boxes and McDonald’s bags, while effecient, can become a norm which puts children at an awkward social disadvantage.
As parents, let’s arm them with this important life-long skill set. They will thank us for … someday.
Here’s your proper place setting.
Next time you’re at restaurants like First Watch or Puckett’s or Brick Tops or Burger Up, observe others eating — for better or for worse. Take note at sit-down meals at home, special occasion weddings, dinner parties, during a job interview process or “meet-the-parents” events. Table manners tell a story and leave an impression. How about a Top 14 list for eating etiquette that will give your child confidence in any social situation?
Drumroll, please!
FAB 14 LIST FOR EATING ETIQUETTE
If you were lucky, your parents taught you by example and coaching. Now it is your turn to pass down the table
manners toolbox. And yes, watch your kids roll their eyes when you put this into action; but they will thank you one
day for this empowering social skill:
1. No cell phone at the table
2. No elbows on the table
3. A proper table setting
4. The napkin goes on your lap just after sitting down
5. Wait until everyone is served before starting your
meal — unless you’re told to go ahead
6. Sit up straight and bring the food to your mouth —
don’t lean close to the plate
7. Don’t talk with your mouth full
8. Don’t butter your roll all at once; break it into
bite-size pieces and butter as you eat
9. Don’t cut your meat all at once; cut each piece as
you eat it
10. Don’t reach in front of someone; ask them to pass
what you need, saying, “Please pass the __”
11. When there is a wait staff, let them do the stacking
and clearing
12. If you have soup and the bowl is on an underplate,
when you finish, the spoon goes on the plate, not in
the bowl
13. If excusing yourself before the meal is over, leave
your napkin on your chair, not the table
14. Use your indoor voice; don’t shout even though
everyone else may be conversing competitively
And, when you are finished eating, your fork and knife rest at 4:20 o’clock on your plate with the knife blade pointed inward.
Books to the rescue
The Top 14 list should stand anyone in good stead, but if you’re on a roll, there are many excellent and amusing books on manners for toddlers, young readers, teens and adults. Some enticing titles include: Madeline Says Merci; Dude That’s Rude; and of course, Emily Post’s The Guide to Good Manners for Kids and Peggy Post’s The Gift of Good Manners.
Teaching and modeling good manners is a gift, a responsibility and a tool you can give your children.
Bon Appétit!
