Make Your Children Learn the Importance of Table Manners

Whether you’re dining out with friends or eating at a restaurant or a relative’s place or even at home, good table manners are important. That too for kids, it has to be taught as a part of every meal. The table manners that the kids learn at their young age really do have an effect on their personality in the later years. So, it is important that the kids are provided with the right environment that teaches them valuable habits like the table manners.

We, at the K.R. Mangalam School, believe that the development of kids can be considered complete only and only if it happens equally in all aspects. A child that excels in academics but fails to possess even the basic life skills cannot be said to have developed holistically. As such, it becomes the prime responsibility of the parents as well as the teachers and the school alike to help shape a child’s character and his or her personality. Apart from academic and intellectual development, personal grooming is an important aspect, and that is what we, at the K.R. Mangalam School, do by nurturing our students with essential life skills alongside knowledge dissemination.

K.R. Mangalam School is a renowned educational institution offering quality education with strong emphasis on holistic learning and life skills development. Students are provided with a conducive learning environment that fosters teamwork, collaboration, and communication abilities in children and prepares them to acquire the potential to face the world outside.

There are some easy ways in which children can be taught and trained to behave in the right way at the table and learn the importance of table manners. When children are taught good table manners from their early years, they are given the opportunity to create the right social interaction etiquettes that are likely to help them throughout their lives. Plus, laying the foundation for good etiquettes at the dining table allows children to grow up being pleasant companions during family meals and in the professional sphere. So, it is necessary that children are trained to master the art of table etiquettes and practice good manners.

Teaching Children the Table Manners

When it comes to table manners, most parents often have the question about what is the right age to start teaching table manners to children. Surprisingly, you can start teaching kids as early as six months. Yes, you read that right! Everything from sitting on the table and eating the food to maintaining cleanliness and following the etiquettes matter. Letting children control themselves at the table is the first step to teach the skills. Teaching the basics of table manners are important to help children tame their impulsivity in public and learn self-restraint in life.

When it comes to teaching young children table manners, there are two keys – repetition and modeling. Generally, young children are not quick learners. So set your rules simple and let them practice it every day to get it as a habit. Be patient until they learn to master it as a routine habit. Sometimes, it can even take years, so keep calm and keep on repeating the routine. Start with simple things and as they grow older, you can raise your expectations gradually. The second part is modeling. This means parents have to lead kids by example. It might be harder but without you doing it, they will never learn to do it. Your child learns everything by watching you and so are the table manners and etiquettes.

Basic Table Manners to be Taught

There are certain fundamental table manners that every kid has to be taught and should be practiced together as a family.

• Teach your child to come to the dining table with clean hands and face. Practice the habit of washing hands before and after eating to learn cleanliness.
• Mealtime is for eating and nothing else. So, teach the kids not to watch TV, use toys or engage in any activity during the meals. They are also not supposed to talk with a mouthful of food or make rude noises like slurping, burping, etc.
• Let the child regulate his/her own intake and teach him/her to eat in small portions from the plates and cups. If they are hungry, they can ask for it politely and get more.
• Teaching politeness is a big part of table manners. Children should learn to say “please” and “thank you” at the table. Even if they are eating at home, they should pick up their plate and say thank you, so that they will learn to do it at a guest’s place as well. If you are at a restaurant, teach your child to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to the waiter and also encourage them to order for themselves.
• Teach the child how to use the spoon and fork at a restaurant. Let them know the basic table etiquettes, like using the napkin, plates, and more.
• When children get older, they should know the table etiquette of start eating their food only after everyone at the table is served. Also, when they are done with their eating, they should learn to excuse themselves before leaving.
• Children should be taught what to say and what not to say at the table. Giving rude comments, showing a mean face or using inappropriate gestures are counted as bad manners at the table and it can hurt the one who made the meal. Instead, teach them to talk about nice things about food and express what they like rather than saying something bad.
• If ever they misbehave, do not be angry or too pushy; gently remove their plates off and end the meal, letting them know they have to cooperate and follow the rules if they want to stay at the table.

The most important rule when teaching your kids table manners is that mistakes happen and it’s ok if he/she makes one. As you correct their mistakes, make sure to praise and reward children for their good behavior as well. Learning good manners is something he/she will practice over the course of time, and so make sure to teach the basic skills and let him/her improve on them.

Good manners at the table and elsewhere will certainly make your child become confident in handling social situations when he/she gets older.

Whether you’re dining out with friends or eating at a restaurant or a relative’s place or even at home, good table manners are important. That too for kids, it has to be taught as a part of every meal. The table manners that the kids learn at their young age really do have an effect on their personality in the later years. So, it is important that the kids are provided with the right environment that teaches them valuable habits like the table manners.

We, at the K.R. Mangalam School, believe that the development of kids can be considered complete only and only if it happens equally in all aspects. A child that excels in academics but fails to possess even the basic life skills cannot be said to have developed holistically. As such, it becomes the prime responsibility of the parents as well as the teachers and the school alike to help shape a child’s character and his or her personality. Apart from academic and intellectual development, personal grooming is an important aspect, and that is what we, at the K.R. Mangalam School, do by nurturing our students with essential life skills alongside knowledge dissemination.

K.R. Mangalam School is a renowned educational institution offering quality education with strong emphasis on holistic learning and life skills development. Students are provided with a conducive learning environment that fosters teamwork, collaboration, and communication abilities in children and prepares them to acquire the potential to face the world outside.

There are some easy ways in which children can be taught and trained to behave in the right way at the table and learn the importance of table manners. When children are taught good table manners from their early years, they are given the opportunity to create the right social interaction etiquettes that are likely to help them throughout their lives. Plus, laying the foundation for good etiquettes at the dining table allows children to grow up being pleasant companions during family meals and in the professional sphere. So, it is necessary that children are trained to master the art of table etiquettes and practice good manners.

Teaching Children the Table Manners

When it comes to table manners, most parents often have the question about what is the right age to start teaching table manners to children. Surprisingly, you can start teaching kids as early as six months. Yes, you read that right! Everything from sitting on the table and eating the food to maintaining cleanliness and following the etiquettes matter. Letting children control themselves at the table is the first step to teach the skills. Teaching the basics of table manners are important to help children tame their impulsivity in public and learn self-restraint in life.

When it comes to teaching young children table manners, there are two keys – repetition and modeling. Generally, young children are not quick learners. So set your rules simple and let them practice it every day to get it as a habit. Be patient until they learn to master it as a routine habit. Sometimes, it can even take years, so keep calm and keep on repeating the routine. Start with simple things and as they grow older, you can raise your expectations gradually. The second part is modeling. This means parents have to lead kids by example. It might be harder but without you doing it, they will never learn to do it. Your child learns everything by watching you and so are the table manners and etiquettes.

Basic Table Manners to be Taught

There are certain fundamental table manners that every kid has to be taught and should be practiced together as a family.

• Teach your child to come to the dining table with clean hands and face. Practice the habit of washing hands before and after eating to learn cleanliness.
• Mealtime is for eating and nothing else. So, teach the kids not to watch TV, use toys or engage in any activity during the meals. They are also not supposed to talk with a mouthful of food or make rude noises like slurping, burping, etc.
• Let the child regulate his/her own intake and teach him/her to eat in small portions from the plates and cups. If they are hungry, they can ask for it politely and get more.
• Teaching politeness is a big part of table manners. Children should learn to say “please” and “thank you” at the table. Even if they are eating at home, they should pick up their plate and say thank you, so that they will learn to do it at a guest’s place as well. If you are at a restaurant, teach your child to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to the waiter and also encourage them to order for themselves.
• Teach the child how to use the spoon and fork at a restaurant. Let them know the basic table etiquettes, like using the napkin, plates, and more.
• When children get older, they should know the table etiquette of start eating their food only after everyone at the table is served. Also, when they are done with their eating, they should learn to excuse themselves before leaving.
• Children should be taught what to say and what not to say at the table. Giving rude comments, showing a mean face or using inappropriate gestures are counted as bad manners at the table and it can hurt the one who made the meal. Instead, teach them to talk about nice things about food and express what they like rather than saying something bad.
• If ever they misbehave, do not be angry or too pushy; gently remove their plates off and end the meal, letting them know they have to cooperate and follow the rules if they want to stay at the table.

The most important rule when teaching your kids table manners is that mistakes happen and it’s ok if he/she makes one. As you correct their mistakes, make sure to praise and reward children for their good behavior as well. Learning good manners is something he/she will practice over the course of time, and so make sure to teach the basic skills and let him/her improve on them.

Good manners at the table and elsewhere will certainly make your child become confident in handling social situations when he/she gets older.