Teach Table Manners
Years ago, while teaching middle school students, teachers were encouraged to lead an enrichment class. I chose to teach table manners to a group of young ladies. Now, fast forward a decade (okay, maybe more than that), I would like to teach table manners to my girls. Not that I think boys learning manners is less important, but my girls seem more interested in being “fancy” than my male children! So, besides nagging them at the dinner table and reminding them to practice basic etiquette, I decided we would take a proactive approach and implement some of these activities. Take a look for yourself and see if any of these resources would work for you and yours!
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Table Manners Quiz
For a class, this activity is very effective. Students are instructed to number a sheet of paper 1-20. Their answers will consist of yes or no. After they have answered honestly, go over the questions one by one pointing out good manners versus the other.
This activity encourages discussion, personal reflection, and is a great way to break the ice with a group of girls. Personally, I went through the slideshow with my kids as a group. There is one slide in particular that says “ladies” instead of students, I just explained to my boys that it should read young men and ladies. Not a biggie…
Fancy Friday
If you have girls, you are likely to have one or two that appreciate pretending to be “fancy.” I’ll admit that we are not Disney people, but my girls do have some Fancy Nancy books that they enjoy. After reading them, the girls were interested in being “fancy.” This entailed fixing their hair fancy, wearing fancy clothes, and drinking out of fancy glasses. One evening, after reading Fancy Nancy, I suggested that we have a fancy Friday.
Fancy Friday became the talk of the whole week. The girls and I ended up planning a fancy finger foods lunch for Friday. They decorated name cards, set out matching plates, napkins, and forks, made various finger foods, and filled fancy glasses with lemonade (which is fancy for us at lunch!). For two little girls (5 and 7), this was an exciting day. They made croissants, cut-up vegetables, set out trays, and loved every minute of it.
The girls guests included their brothers and dad. When the guests arrived, the girls encouraged them to wash their hands and then showed them to their seats. I was surprised by the boys’ response. They were gracious and eager to see the food selection. To my dismay, they all offered compliments to the girls for their table setting and food display. To teach table manners, we enforced the basics which included elbows off of the table, napkin in their lap, and sitting up straight. Our fancy Friday lunch ended up going so successfully that we decided to have one the 1st Friday of every month. It served to be the perfect setting to talk about manners, social graces, and common etiquette practices. Clarence Thomas once said, “Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” This statement is so true and worth discussing at your next fancy party!
Teach Informal Table Setting
We are not necessarily a fancy family. However, we would like our kids to grow up knowing how to set a table. Whether it be for Thanksgiving dinner or a special dinner party, we feel that this is a skill that could come in handy as they grow. Just as you would want your child to feel at ease entering a math course, the ability for your child to feel comfortable in a more formal social setting is beneficial for their future outlook. Oftentimes, we set the table with a plate, cup, napkin, and either a fork or spoon. With six kids, the less dishes the better is usually my motto. However, as of late, we have been working on setting the table using the diagram below.
Years ago, when teaching that enrichment class, I brought in paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, and plastic glasses for the young ladies to arrange. This allowed them to create an informal place setting without bringing in the real china. At home, your kids can easily take turns setting the table using this guide. This is a perfect example of learning without a textbook!
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