Teaching Your Kids Table Manners

Table manners are rules of etiquette that apply to the eating experience. They include proper use of cutlery, the order in which food should be eaten and how to interact with other diners at a meal. They also help us show respect to our hosts, who often put a lot of time and effort into preparing the food.

Teaching table manners is a critical part of raising kids that are respectful, well-mannered and confident. The key is to take a low-pressure approach to instruction that does not stress your child out.

The first step is to regularly sit down at the table together for family meals. This will provide your child with plenty of practice and repetition of the rules of etiquette.

Make sure your child is washing their hands before dinner, and encourage them to wipe their mouths with a cloth before eating. Explain that this will keep them healthy and avoid germs. It's a good idea to set up a small area in your kitchen or bathroom with a step for your child to walk up to and wash their hands before coming to the table.

Teach your child to eat slowly, cutting only a few bite-sized pieces at a time. This helps them chew their food more thoroughly and allows them to enjoy the flavors better.

Wait for everyone at the table to be served before you begin eating, unless someone has asked you to start. In addition, wait to eat or drink until you’ve finished the last course of your meal or a few minutes after the person who has been served finishes theirs.

When it comes to utensils, teach your children how to hold them properly and avoid using them like shovels or stabbing their food with them. If your child doesn’t know how to hold a fork, give them a short demonstration.

If your child is having trouble figuring out where to place the fork in their plate, teach them to place it on the outside edge of their plate. This is called the "outside-in rule," and it’s important to remember when using a variety of eating utensils.

Similarly, teach your child to place the knife on the edge of their plate with the blades facing in, and then hold it in their right hand when they begin eating their food. After a few bite-sized pieces of food are cut, then switch to the fork in their left hand holding the plate with the blades on it.

In addition, when you’re done eating your plate, don’t push it away from you, unless you need to. Leaving it on the table takes up room and is considered bad manners, especially in restaurants or formal settings where guests are sitting in a row.

Finally, if your child has trouble getting the hang of using their napkin as a utensil, give them a visual aid to help. Whether it’s a picture or a diagram, this will help them understand what they should do when they need to wipe their table.