Comments on: Bad Manners Are Closer Than You Think

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:11:42 +0000

Thank you for the tips! We are having a tea party soon and that will help!

Can I post this onto my blog??

By: LaRene

LaRene — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:36:58 +0000

I’ve heard people lately talking around me about proper mangers when eating. It seems like we went for years without anybody caring. I’m glad to see the trend changing. I think it would be cool to have men stand, if you lift the table. I wonder if it will ever come back?

By: PlanningQueen

PlanningQueen — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:18:37 +0000

We discussed with our children only a couple of nights ago, how it is considered bad manners to place their elbows on the table. I will now have to take them through the other five.

By: Tea Party Girl

Tea Party Girl — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:48:12 +0000

The tips came from Dorothea Johnson, Founder of the Protocol School of Washington and the author of the book, “Tea and Etiquette”. She lists all the ones I mentioned (plus many more!). The reason one wouldn’t talk about their likes and dislikes at the table is often because there is a host/hostess who have gone to lengths to provide the food in front of you. It’s also often a self-centered topic of conversation.

By: JHS

JHS — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:35:40 +0000

Thank you for sharing this post with the readers of this week’s Carnival of Family Life! This week the Spring is Just Around the Corner Edition is hosted at home at Colloquium! Hope you will drop by and read some of the many other wonderful entries received this week!

I’m afraid that I’ve never heard of most of your tips, even though I am a professional possessing an advanced degree. I lunch with colleagues and every one of us has his/her Blackberry on the table if not clipped to a belt or waistband. I’ve never heard of some of the other tips (such as removing a spoon like that or not drinking from your own glass if there’s anything in your mouth . . . where did you even find out about these ideas?). As for elbows on the table, well . . . we all do it. As for a discussion of food preferences . . . at the table is the most logical and natural place to discuss them so that’s just nonsense, in my opinion.

By: On Living By Learning

On Living By Learning — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:09:27 +0000

Thanks for the ammunition!

I just took my Girl Scouts to a very elegant lunch at the Metropolitan Museum, during which I gently reminded them of several of these etiquette rules. However, I couldn’t answer why they should follow the rules.

I’ll keep this in mind for future explanations.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:55:56 +0000

Karen’s comments are an echo of what I could have written. I try hard to remove the cell phone, but it always ends up on the table, especially, when my husband and I are out. I don’t want to miss a call from the house. Or I keep looking at the cell phone in my purse!

Thanks for a great reminder.

By: Susan Sabo

Susan Sabo — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:22:41 +0000

I appreciate you tackling this often overlooked part of being in a civilization (as opposed to a cave). I can’t wait for your post on whether and how to answer your cell phone at the table!

By: Raymond Chua

Raymond Chua — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:56:51 +0000

Thanks for sharing these table manners tips.

I have learn a lot from this post.

By: Karen (Karooch from Scraps of Mind)

Karen (Karooch from Scraps of Mind) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:34:30 +0000

Afraid I’m guilty of some of the things on your list Jennie. And yes the cell phone sits beside my plate at lunch like a little puppy waiting for scraps.
Frankly I’d settle for people eating with their mouths closed and and wiping food that misses there mouth occasionally.