Dining Etiquettes to Teach to Your Little Ones

It's never too early to start teaching kids the basics, table manners included. Whether we're eating with family at home or dining out with friends, good table manners are noticeable everywhere and should serve as an important tool while socializing.

• At meal time, reach the table on time with hands and mouth cleaned to ensures hygiene. 
• Pick up the chair to pull it out. Do not drag the chair to avoid noise which may distract everyone.
• Sit after all the elders have taken their seats as a mark of respect. 
• Spread the napkin on your lap or around your neck. It can be used to wipe their hands or mouth after the meal is over. Guide them not to wipe their hands/mouth with their clothes.
• Say a short prayer before meals to thank God for the food.
• Hold the fork in the left and knife/spoon in the right hand. Use gently without making a noise on the plate. If using hands for eating, prefer using the tips of fingers. 
• Start eating when everyone else starts.
• Eat with your mouth closed. Do not smack (make a noise while chewing), slurp (make a noise while taking soup or soft drinks), or crunch (make a noise while eating crispy things like chips.) Do not stuff you moth, take smaller bites that can be chewed properly.  
• Don’t bend down on the table to reach the dishes you want which are far from you. Say “Could you please pass that bowl of rice to me?”
• If you're the one passing the dishes closer to you to others at the table, use your left hand because usually people use their right hand for eating and their left hand is clean & dry.
• Do not dip your used spoon and fork into other person’s food or the main serving dish as it is considered highly unhygienic and offensive.
• Do not leave anything on your plate as leftovers. Take small servings. Do not waste food.
• It's ok not to eat something that is being offered to you. Politely say "no thank you". 
  Do not talk continuously while eating. It can be risky and may result in choking of the food pipe.
• try to eat your food at a pace in sync with others. It might seem rude if you eat your food too quickly or too slow. It may also imply that you didn’t like the food.
• If you’ve finished your food early, then you must remain seated until the host or the eldest person at the table finishes his/her food. Getting up from the table while everybody else is still eating is considered ill-mannered.
• When you have to leave the table, say “Excuse Me” and then leave.
• Do not criticize the food preparation. On the contrary, compliment the cook/host by saying “The food was excellent. Thank you.” This will express your admiration for the efforts of the cook.
• Remember to clear up your used plate and napkin.
• Pick up the used chair and push it back against the table in its place.

A few of the dining manners might differ from family to family or from place to place, but most of these are important to make kids confident while enjoying their meals at home or at public places. With everyday practice, they don't even get to know that these manners become their second nature and then no extra efforts or reminders are needed by parents.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.