Dining Etiquette….or the lack thereof. We’ve all been there, right? You are enjoying the most exquisite meal with the most entertaining companion when it happens: a very loud child is throwing a very loud tantrum. It has been my questionable ‘joy’ to observe that with each time I eat out that the dining habits of the younger set grows worse and worse. Sincerely, there are manners that even the youngest of children can learn and it does not take a vast quantity of time. Remember, small changes made consistently, yield big changes.

 

These following tips are for children ages 4-10.

1. Please and Thank You. This is one of the simplest of manners to use and it is, in my opinion the one that is least used by the under-10 set. Setting a good example at home, insisting that they say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ in the appropriate situations, both at home and abroad.

 2. Sir and/or Ma’m.  When addressing someone in authority over them, a younger person should always address them as Sir, if the person is male, or M’am if the person is female.

“Would you like a cookie?”   

“Yes, Ma’m.’

 3. Answering the telephone.  When answering the telephone, say, “This is Sarah.” Then, if the caller asks for a family member, gently place the phone down and go to inform the family member of the call. Shouting down the hallway for the family member is rude.  Offer to take a message if the requested person is not home, but do not give out information about where they are.

 4. Dining etiquette. Even the smallest of children can be taught to chew their food slowly and with lips closed. From personal experience I can tell you how disconcerting and off putting it can be to observe a child eating loudly, smacking their lips and making gobbling sounds.

 5. Sitting quietly at the table. Children by their very nature are not designed to be quiet or still, therefore, expecting them to remain silent at the table is often not practical. However, insisting that your child stay seated, is. Once at the table, the child should be encouraged to ask for permission to leave the table, asking “May I be excused?” If the child is younger than 5, this may not be possible, but it is within all possibilities that this child learn to stay at the table until his or her parents tell them it is okay to get up. Allowing your child to stand on the seats in the restaurants, to run up and down the aisles as well as around the table is unacceptable, and should not be condoned at home, in my opinion, either.

 

I have also observed, after numerous workshops and having worked with children of all ages, that adults often underestimate that children are completely able to handle simple dining etiquette. Simple instruction, given a little at a time and modeled by the adults in their life, is all that is necessary to produce a child that is beautiful, poised, and pleasant to be around.

 

As always….Live life on the manners side,

Liz

 

Look for more details on this and other dining related etiquette at: www.elitemannersschoolofetiquette.com.  

Also…just a little horn blowing, if you please.

If you are in the Sumter, SC area or near Columbia, SC I will be hosting a dining etiquette workshop in June and again in July! I would love to meet you in person, blog buddies!