Manners at the Table
When it comes to table manners, I am a die-hard supporter and I have some firm opinions on the matter. Manners are a must in my house, and I love the way it’s influencing my kids to be good guests in other homes, restaurants and settings. Are they perfect? Definitely not, but who is? But they also aren’t the kids yelling, screaming and making a scene anywhere. They just know better.
I am certain that my devotion to manners comes from how I was raised. As a child, I knew the rules and, for the most part, followed them without thinking. Understanding the concept of manners has come in handy in my adult life. On the first day of my first semester at Barnard College, I dined with the president of the college. To be eating with someone so important to my education was nerve-wracking, to say the least. But I knew how to act in that scenario, so there was no added self-consciousness about how I was behaving … only that I would make a good impression.
Right now, someone, somewhere is saying, “Oh please, does this really matter? Who cares if you know the right fork to use?!?” It does matter. When it comes to important dinners and lunches, having good manners mean that how you sit and eat blends into the background and it’s your conversation that gets noticed. On the otherhand, if you have bad manners, that can overshadow anything you say at all. Talk about a bad impression … and really, would you rather be remembered for your excellent commentary on the state of health care reform or unseemly noises you made while you chewed your steak?
So parents, I encourage you. No matter how you were raised, it’s time to raise the bar on manners in your home so that your kids can go out in the world confident and certain in any eating situation. They will be better off for it.
My Top 5 Table Manner Rules
1. Wait for everyone to be served before eating.
2. Do not leave the table unless you’ve been excused or politely excused yourself.
3. No talking with your mouth full.
4. Do not touch your food with your fingers (unless it’s a finger food like corn on the cob)
5. Pause between bites — meals are not a race
