Table Manners Rule # 24
Rule:At an informal meal, food and condiments are passed to the right for their first journey around the table. Reason:You can take the dish with your left hand, serve yourself with the serving spoon or fork in your right hand, and pass the dish on its way around the table. Application:Encourage your family to be responsible for the food set in front of them, teaching them to serve themselves and pass the dish to others. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 23
Rule:Food served at informal meals is often placed in large bowls and arranged around the table top. Reason:The informal style lends itself best to passing and sharing with others at the table. Application:Everybody helps themselves to the dish or platter in front of them and passes that dish to the person sitting on their right. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 22
Rule:Never squirt lemon juice on your neighbors at the table. Reason:You might hit them in the eye. Application:When putting lemon juice in your tea, cover your right hand with the left hand to prevent any unwanted squirts while you squeeze the lemon. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 21
Rule:The lemon on the rim of a glass is supposed to be squeezed or simply removed from the glass. Reason:Nothing should be left on the rim of a glass such as lemon or lime. Application:Take the lemon in your right hand to squeeze the juice from the lemon into your tea. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 20
Rule:After preparing and stirring a beverage such as iced tea, the spoon cannot be placed back on the table, nor can it be left protruding upward in the glass. Reason:Silverware should never be placed back on the table. The iced teaspoon is the only eating utensil you can prop. (All other implements are placed securely on a plate.) Application:Show your family how to turn the iced teaspoon (with the bowl side down) and place the tip of the bowl of the spoon on the rim of a plate, with the long handle pointing to the right. A coffee spoon should be placed on the saucer beneath the cup. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 19
Rule:At an informal meal, the iced tea or other beverage may need to be prepared. Reason:Unless the beverage is presweetened, it will need to be prepared at the table. Application:Show your family how to take the sugar bowl (with its own spoon) or a packet of artificial sweetener to sweeten the beverage. Sprinkle the sugar or packet contents in the glass and gently stir the beverage. Place the empty paper on the little dish under the glass or on the bread and butter plate, if there is one. If there is no other place for the sweetener packet, tuck one end of the sweetener packet envelope into the other open end and lay the envelope neatly on the table. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 18
Rule:Thin or cream soup should be sipped from the side of the soup spoon. Reason:Soup spoons are typically large and round making it difficult to insert the spoon in your mouth. Application:Show your family how to hold the soup spoon level with your mouth and sip (don’t slurp) the soup from the side of the spoon. If the soup has chunks of potatoes or broccoli, simply use your teeth to remove them from the soup as you eat from the side of the spoon. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 17
Rule:When eating soup, it is proper to scrape the bottom of the spoon across the back rim of the bowl. Reason:Scraping the spoon on the bowl will catch any drips from the spoon. Application:Demonstrate and practice with your family how to dip the soup away from yourself, taking it across the back rim of the bowl. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 16
Rule:When eating soup, dip it away from yourself. Reason:By dipping the spoon full of soup away from yourself and bringing the level spoon to your mouth, you will not likely drip soup on your clothes. Application:You may want to teach this little rhyme: As the ship goes out to sea, I dip my soup away from me. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 15
Rule:At an informal meal and after the napkin is properly in place, the hostess will pick up the proper fork or spoon to begin eating the meal. Reason:If soup is the first course, she will pick up the spoon. Application:Teach your family how to eat soup by skimming the top of the soup while scooping it away from yourself and across the back rim of the bowl with the soup spoon. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 14
Rule:A paper napkin or a small, luncheon napkin is fully opened before it is placed in the lap. Reason:Such napkins are small even when opened completely. Application:Show your family how to fully open and place a small napkin in your lap. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 13
Rule:Place the fold of a large dinner napkin in your lap with the fold placed toward your knees. Reason:When you pick up the napkin by the fold, use it to dab your mouth, and replace it in your lap, you will not get a smudge of food or drink on your clothes. Application:Show your family how to lift the napkin from your lap by the folded edge and dab your mouth. Show them that when you replace the napkin, any smudges will be on the top side of the napkin. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 12
Rule:Immediately after the meal has been blessed, the hostess should lift her dinner napkin for placement in her lap. Reason:It is the natural order of things. Application:Lift the large dinner napkin and open it halfway before placing it in your lap. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 11
Rule:At any meal the first thing the host or hostess should do is ask the appointed person at the table to say grace (the blessing). Reason:Some families take turns. In some families the father or head of the house always says the blessing. Application:Try passing the privilege of asking the Lord’s blessing on the food from family member to family member. In some families, the father who is the spiritual head of the family, says grace or appoints someone to say it. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 10
Rule:The informal place setting should have a dinner plate in the center with a knife and a spoon placed the right of the plate and a fork at the left of the plate. A glass will be at the top near the tip of the knife blade. A napkin will be on the left. Reason:Only the essentials for a simple meal are usually needed for an informal, family meal. Application:Let your children practice setting the table with your help. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 9
Rule:Diners must always wait for the hostess to begin eating or wait for her to say, “Go ahead and eat” before they pick up anything in their place setting. Reason:It is impolite to begin eating before others at the table are ready. Application:Let the mom be the hostess while your family practices at your next family meal. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 8
Rule:A place setting, also called the cover, is the way the plates, forks, knives, glasses, and spoons are arranged on the table for each person at the table. Reason:The placement of each piece of silverware is determined by its use. Application:To begin dining, always start from the outside and move inward choosing the proper fork, glass, or spoon in the order in which the food is served. If soup is the first dish served, there will be a soup spoon to the far right of the place setting. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 7
Rule:There are at least three styles of dining to teach your children. Reason:One style is called informal or family dining. Another is called buffet serving, and finally there is the formal style. Application:Use the informal, family style dining when everyone is seated around the table and the food is passed in serving dishes. Use the buffet style when the food is presented on a serving table where the guests usually fill their plates and stand around eating, though it is also proper for them to take their plate of food to a table. When using the formal style, the hostess or servers bring the dishes of food and beverage in from the kitchen on individual plates and serve each diner individually at the table. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 6
Rule:At any meal no one should be seated until everyone is ready to sit. Reason:Out of courtesy and respect for others. Application:Wait until all are standing behind their chairs before being seated at a dining table (or wait until the hostess tells you to sit). Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 5
Rule:Children may groan and complain while learning the fine art of dining, but when they grow up, they will thank their parents for teaching them. (I know because parents tell me often.) Reason:About the time children reach adolescence, they become acutely aware of how their behavior affects the way others see them. (“O would that we could see ourselves as others see us.”) (Robert Burns) Application:As your children grow, look for opportunities to teach them the rules of proper dining, and also look for reasons that will cultivate their desire to learn good table manners. Many examples for dining critiques show up on television and TV characters are open game for judging and critiquing. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 4
Rule:When children develop confidence in social skills, especially dining manners, they will be able to focus on others more than self. Reason:With confidence in knowing the rules of dining etiquette, your children can concentrate on having a good time without embarrassing themselves or others. Application:Instruct your children to never embarrass someone by calling attention to another’s dining mistake. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 3
Rule:Children respond best to learning dining manners when they have a reason or a good incentive. Reason:It’s human nature. Application:For an incentive, reward your children with dinner in a nice restaurant with cloth tablecloths and cloth napkins after they learn certain rules of dining etiquette. Start with some of the easier rules. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 2
Rule:Children must be taught how to eat properly so they will have self-confidence in eating in public, which they will surely do. Reason:Children who have confidence in their social skills usually have many friends and opportunities for pleasant experiences throughout life. Application:Praise and commend your child for every good dining habit you see (you may have to look hard). Don’t expect your child to learn too many dining manners in one sitting or in one day. Take one or a few rules at a time until your child has mastered them. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Table Manners Rule # 1
Rule:Parents must model, teach, and remind (not scold) their children about civilized dining. The teaching process will continue throughout childhood, but parents should never give up. Reason:One reason to teach dining manners to your children is to make eating a pleasant experience for others, and to give your children the most practical and logical way to handle food. There are many other reasons including saving your child from embarrassment when he or she is faced with eating dilemmas later in life. Application:Never embarrass your children by scolding them about their eating habits in front of others. Try to have a family meal once a day or once a week if that is possible. Your children will learn from your example, but you may want to send them to a class or teach them from a book such as You Can Raise a Well-Mannered Child or Manners Made Easy by June Hines Moore. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
Public Manners and Traveling Rule # 32
Rule:Teach your children that when they exit a car, they should walk around the car so the driver can see them. Reason:Safety. Application:Explain to the child the danger if he or she walks behind a car. Copyright 2003, June Hines Moore Click here for a biblical approach and resources on manners.
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