Comments on: Teach Your Children Well–The Top Five Mealtime Etiquette Lessons for Children http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children Teaching the Beautiful and Simple Afternoon Tea Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:14:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: JHS http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1825 JHS Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:54:25 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1825 Thanks for participating in this week's Carnival of Family Life, hosted at <a href="http://www.diaryof1.com/" rel="nofollow">Diary of 1</a>!! Thanks for participating in this week’s Carnival of Family Life, hosted at Diary of 1!!

]]> By: Angela in TN http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1798 Angela in TN Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:27:40 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1798 What a great post, I need to print those out for all my boys (dh included!:) ) I think #2 and #3 are the ones we need work with, great reminder! What a great post, I need to print those out for all my boys (dh included!:) ) I think #2 and #3 are the ones we need work with, great reminder!

]]> By: Stacy http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1793 Stacy Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:42:35 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1793 Elbows off of the table, please! I am a bit of a table-manners stickler, but always beam with pride when others comment on what well-mannered children we have - and no, I did not have to scream and threaten to teach them. It truly does start when they are small - children are eager to please from a very young age and good table manners can be a habit without ever having to nag or chastize. I always make an effort to comment on good table manners, something like "I'm so proud of you for waiting to eat until everyone was seated - what a big girl you are!" or "Thank you for using you manners." Back to my intro line - I am amazed at how many people (mostly adults) I see resting one or both elbows/arms on the table while eating. Here's another one - no nose-blowing at the table especially in a restaurant....gross! Elbows off of the table, please! I am a bit of a table-manners stickler, but always beam with pride when others comment on what well-mannered children we have - and no, I did not have to scream and threaten to teach them.

It truly does start when they are small - children are eager to please from a very young age and good table manners can be a habit without ever having to nag or chastize. I always make an effort to comment on good table manners, something like “I’m so proud of you for waiting to eat until everyone was seated - what a big girl you are!” or “Thank you for using you manners.”

Back to my intro line - I am amazed at how many people (mostly adults) I see resting one or both elbows/arms on the table while eating. Here’s another one - no nose-blowing at the table especially in a restaurant….gross!

]]> By: Cecile http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1786 Cecile Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:30:36 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1786 We taught our boys from a young age to wait until the girls and Mom were seated before they sat down. It blesses my heart each time I see them still, stand by their chair and wait for us to sit down. :) We taught our boys from a young age to wait until the girls and Mom were seated before they sat down. It blesses my heart each time I see them still, stand by their chair and wait for us to sit down. :)

]]> By: Carina http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1775 Carina Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:52:18 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1775 Jenny, I'm glad I'm not the only mom reinforcing manners at the table! (Sometimes I think I am covering the same points of etiquette over and over!!!) Your top seven are all ones we work on here too. I also have the children keep their napkins in their laps and ask to be excused before leaving the table. (When they are excused they must clear their place, rinse their utensils, cup and dish and place everything in the dishwasher. If the dishwasher is already full, they can just leave their rinsed items in the sink. Amazingly, even the almost 5 year old can do this...although I do have to remind him of his responsibility frequently!) :) Thanks for another great post! Jenny,

I’m glad I’m not the only mom reinforcing manners at the table! (Sometimes I think I am covering the same points of etiquette over and over!!!) Your top seven are all ones we work on here too. I also have the children keep their napkins in their laps and ask to be excused before leaving the table. (When they are excused they must clear their place, rinse their utensils, cup and dish and place everything in the dishwasher. If the dishwasher is already full, they can just leave their rinsed items in the sink. Amazingly, even the almost 5 year old can do this…although I do have to remind him of his responsibility frequently!) :)

Thanks for another great post!

]]> By: Beverly http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1774 Beverly Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:06:20 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1774 I love your blog. I am going to have a tea for a friend for her birthday the end of this month and I read some very helpful tips, thank you. I love your blog. I am going to have a tea for a friend for her birthday the end of this month and I read some very helpful tips, thank you.

]]> By: Kendralee http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1763 Kendralee Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:01:58 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1763 You go girl! We are not good about washing our hands first. In regard to letters, we send out over 200 Christmas letters and I always put the man's name first! Or I might write 'The Johnson Family'. Saying thank you and asking to be excused is important indeed. I do not like complaining of any sort, but that seems to be a constant issue in my house. My husband says I complain a lot.....well, he doesn't understand. I just love to comment on things! LOL No, really, we must lead by example! Tea time at 4:00....I am going to add the "wash hands and face before sitting down starting today! Tally Ho! You go girl!

We are not good about washing our hands first. In regard to letters, we send out over 200 Christmas letters and I always put the man’s name first! Or I might write ‘The Johnson Family’. Saying thank you and asking to be excused is important indeed. I do not like complaining of any sort, but that seems to be a constant issue in my house. My husband says I complain a lot…..well, he doesn’t understand. I just love to comment on things! LOL No, really, we must lead by example! Tea time at 4:00….I am going to add the “wash hands and face before sitting down starting today!
Tally Ho!

]]> By: Ginger http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1759 Ginger Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:21:55 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1759 What a wonderful post. Too many kids (and adults) these days have terrible manners. Thank you for teaching your children manners. Oh and I think I'm younger than you and I don't mind being called Mrs. Myhusband'sname on occasion. I think it's more formal. But then I might be old fashioned. :-) What a wonderful post. Too many kids (and adults) these days have terrible manners. Thank you for teaching your children manners.

Oh and I think I’m younger than you and I don’t mind being called Mrs. Myhusband’sname on occasion. I think it’s more formal. But then I might be old fashioned. :-)

]]> By: Marie http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1756 Marie Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:51:02 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/teach-your-children-well-the-top-five-mealtime-etiquette-lessons-for-children#comment-1756 I have to admit I was afraid when I saw your title. But I was able to check off each one. I would add that everyone should stay seated until everyone has finished. This is the thing that's hardest for my kids, they think they should be able to get up and play as soon as they're done, but I don't think that's polite. This has another purpose as well. A child that refuses to eat his dinner is more likely to eat some anyway if he's required to sit in front of it until everyone has finished. I have to admit I was afraid when I saw your title. But I was able to check off each one.

I would add that everyone should stay seated until everyone has finished. This is the thing that’s hardest for my kids, they think they should be able to get up and play as soon as they’re done, but I don’t think that’s polite.

This has another purpose as well. A child that refuses to eat his dinner is more likely to eat some anyway if he’s required to sit in front of it until everyone has finished.

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