Table Etiquette for Kids
Table etiquette is just as important for kids as it is for adults … we have to learn somewhere, and at home is a safe place! I have been teaching Noodle how to set a proper, albeit informal, table for dinner. This is something that my mom taught me when I was little and, as the years passed, I learned more and more about dining etiquette. Eventually, my career demanded more knowledge about business and cultural etiquette … and I was grateful to have learned the dining etiquette as a kid. It has come in handy more than a few times!
Now, I teach youth from small to grown about the importance of table manners, among other things depending on their age. It is something I enjoy immensely. I also enjoy watching them practice awkward things like eating soup and holding knives and forks differently than they normally would.
Snooty Etiquette
I remember watching an etiquette video in junior high school where the trainer explained proper table manners to a group of teenage girls seated at a very formal dinner table. What I remember most is how snooty the trainer was. She dressed to the nines, appropriate for the time and place, I suppose, but she kept scolding and correcting the young ladies when they made a mistake.
Of course, I had no idea then that I would end up being the trainer someday. That memory has stuck with me all these years. When I did decide to start presenting etiquette, I vowed to never be like that snooty trainer! That kind of method does not engage kids and hinders their ability to remember what they are taught. As a result, I am the laid-back Miss Manners, and I try to connect proper etiquette to things with which kids are familiar.
Why table etiquette is important
I certainly won’t begrudge moms who pile silverware in the middle of the table at dinner time and let everyone grab their respective pieces. We all get rushed and it is often easier to do that. Taking the extra few minutes to set the table or have a kiddo set the table teaches kids a valuable lesson from early on. It also provides them with a solid foundation and skill set that can be built upon as they grow and start thinking about careers.
And what about table etiquette on Downton Abbey?
Downton Abbey is an intriguing and addictive show for history buffs. The subject often comes up when I talk about dining etiquette with a group familiar with the show. My students often question why we set the table so formally and precisely. We often get a good chuckle out of the conversation. Infrequently do we have the opportunity to sit down to a formal dinner, certainly not with aristocracy. However, it does happen, and you just never know where you will end up in life!
If you love the Abbey as much as I do, check out Downton Abbey Cooks by Pamela Foster!
