Article
10 Steps to Good Table Manners

Today’s society makes us forget to sometimes use good table manners. We often eat at a fast food restaurant, drive-thru to get something to eat, or order delivery for dinner. And it is a treasure to actually have the whole family sit-down together for dinner. Our children these days are not getting the appropriate training in good table manners that we were taught. Partly it is because we are taking them to extra-curricular activities in the evening so everyone is not home to enjoy a meal together. It’s more of an eat-and-run concept.

These are a couple of simple guidelines to help you remind your child to have good table manners. Encourage your child to use these 10 Steps to practice table etiquette and improve their social skills.

• Be respectful of others and make sure everyone is seated at the dinner table before eating. It is polite to wait for all parties to join the table before dinner begins.
• Place your napkin on your lap . The napkin is used to signal that dinner is started and ended. It also is good protection for your clothing.
• While eating, don’t talk with food in your mouth. Sometimes we are eager to say something or join in a conversation. Practice patience and make sure you swallow your food before speaking. This can provide you some time to collect your thoughts to speak wisely.
• Leave your elbows off the table or don’t lean against the table. Good posture is important and helps your food digest well. You don’t want to appear sloppy and disrespectful to others at the table.
• Use the stemware versus your fingers . As a sanitary precaution to you and others, make sure you wash your hands before eating. Because there is so many choices now for finger foods, it very hard to forget to use the fork and knife.
• It’s always good to stop and chew your food properly before engulfing the next bite. This is really to make sure you don’t choke on your food and allow it to be digested better. Pausing after several bites gives you a chance to engage in conversation and allows you to take a drink when needed.
• Put your fork on your plate and take a slight break – even if you are starving. Try doing this sometime, it will make you relax and enjoy your meal more.
• While seated, both feet should be in front of you versus sitting on one leg. When you are sitting at the table, you should face the table, not the TV.
• It is recommended to be a quiet eater. Try not to slurp your drinks or soaps or burp at the table. In some countries it is a show of appreciation, but in America it’s considered rude.
• Always say thank you for the meal and compliment the hostess or the one who prepared the meal for you. They have worked very hard to provide a nice dinner for you, so let them know you appreciate them. You want to be a gracious guest and be invited for dinner again.

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KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS WHEN ON AN
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10 STEPS
TO GOOD
TABLE MANNERS

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