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Teaching Table Manners

Modified: Aug 18, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links · 62 Comments

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I have a confession to make. Sometimes I'm embarrassed by my own children. Not in general. Usually they are lovely wonderful little people who amaze me with their sweet spirits and thoughtful minds. But when we sit down to dinner, it's a whole different story.

When my kids are hungry they turn into uncultured swine. I know this is my fault. I mean, kids aren't born with table manners - they have to be taught. And I have not done a great job of teaching mine. Yet.Teaching Table Manners using the Manners Menu - thepalettemuse.com

Table manner teaching at our house usually goes something like this:

Child: Mumbling through mouthful of food.

Me: Don't talk with your mouth full.

Child: I don't like chicken. What else can I have?

Me: Nothing. You'll eat the chicken and you'll like it and someday you'll realize what a wonderful mother you had to feed you healthy food.

Other child: Sneaks last piece of garlic bread when no one is looking.

Child: Hey! You stole the last piece of bread. Mom, can you make more?

Me: No bread for either of you! Go do your homework!

Me: Thinking to myself, Why am I the only one in this family who knows how to carry a plate to the sink?!

Not satisfied with our current state of offending/nagging, I decided to come up with a more fun way of teaching table manners.

My new system is called the "Manners Menu." I printed these menus of table manners and mounted them on black cardstock like menus at a fancy restaurant.

Each child gets one by their plate, and they can select one or two good habits to work on throughout the meal.Table Manners Menu

Here are the manners we are working on:

  • The Chef is Special: Have a good attitude about what is on the menu. No complaining. Someone worked hard to make you this meal.
  • Little Bites: Shoveling belongs in the backyard, not the dinner table. One small bite at a time, chew slooooowly, swallow, repeat.
  • Finger-licking, Not so Good: Use your napkin please, not your shirt, tongue, or pants! (Using your fork properly makes this one a lot easier.)
  • Sweet Words: Remember your “please” and “thank you” please!
  • Save the Last for Best: Best friends, family, and sisters, that is. Remember to offer the last bite on a serving platter to others before taking it for yourself.
  • Finale: Ask to be excused and thank the chef or hostess for dinner. Carry your dishes to the sink.

Give it a shot! Download and print your own Manner's Menu using the instructions below. You can even customize it if you're working on different manners than we are.

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How are your family's manners?

Tell me I'm not alone in trying to train my little heathens! What kind of manners are you working on? I'm sure once we conquer these I'll discover others that aren't even on my radar yet.

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Comments

  1. Melissa says

    October 24, 2014 at 8:34 am

    This is such a great idea! I thought I was the only mom who had an unmannered little hooligan at the table. I will be putting these ideas to good use!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 25, 2014 at 9:12 pm

      Moms of hooligans unite!

      Reply
  2. Anita says

    October 24, 2014 at 11:11 am

    Lovely! Of course I have a special interest here, as the "little heathens" are my grand-princesses. My trick is to say, "Use your tea party manners." Works every time!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      October 24, 2014 at 11:13 am

      P.S. I probably need a copy of the menu to reinforce the same things at our house when they are over here.

      Reply
      • Meredith says

        October 25, 2014 at 9:12 pm

        Yes, you probably do! I know where you can get one...

        Reply
  3. Sandey says

    October 24, 2014 at 3:24 pm

    This is WONDERFUL! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 25, 2014 at 9:15 pm

      Yay! You're welcome!

      Reply
  4. momssmallvictories says

    October 27, 2014 at 6:24 pm

    This is a fantastic idea! Pinning it. We call our 3 boys heathens too. They are possessed at the dinner table. The tough one for ours is chewing with their mouth closed and not talking with food in your mouth...still. Which I would perhaps call "Savor, Not Sprayer", "No See-food Allowed" or "You Spray, you sweep!"

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 9:58 pm

      I love those ideas! That's a good one for us too. And thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  5. jacquiegum says

    October 28, 2014 at 4:47 pm

    What a fabulous idea! I can think of at least 20 young couples I'd like to give this to as a sticking stuffer:) At least your teaching your kids manners....I love that!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      Thanks Jacquie! I'd call it more like "trying" to teach them table manners! We'll see if it works!

      Reply
  6. normaleverydaylifeblog says

    October 28, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    Wonderful idea! I like your clever descriptions, too. Hope it works! 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      Thanks! I hope so too. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Donna Janke says

    October 29, 2014 at 8:35 am

    What a cute idea. I hope it works for you.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      Thanks Donna!

      Reply
  8. niekkamcdonald says

    October 29, 2014 at 8:41 am

    I am cracking up at your caption of what happens at diner. This is such a great idea! So cute and a great learning tool. You have created something with this!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      Thanks Niekka! It would be nice to go out to dinner without worrying about the potential embarassment. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Eve Koivula says

    October 29, 2014 at 10:26 am

    That's an awesome idea! I'll definitely pass this on to my friends with kids 🙂 Thanks Meredith!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      Thanks Eve!

      Reply
  10. Krystyna Lagowski says

    October 29, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    What a great idea! I'll bet your dinners are a lot of fun, and obviously educational, too. I can think of a few adults who could use a "manner menu" ... for those who didn't get the schooling when they were younger!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 29, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      Ha! That's my fear, that they'll grow up never knowing this stuff! We do have fun together though. 🙂

      Reply
  11. thetraveloguer says

    October 30, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Such a great idea Meredith. I'm sure that will work, very inventive! Your kids will thank you for it...some day! 😉

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks! I hope so, whether they ever admit it or not... 🙂

      Reply
  12. bolaaka says

    October 30, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    What a great idea. It's so important to teach children table manners. This is a skill for life!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks Bola! I agree, it's too important to neglect.

      Reply
  13. Tim says

    October 30, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    That is hilarious; in a very good way. I can see your kids getting a real kick out of this sometime in the future when they are older. It is those kinds of out of the box methods that mean the most and stick with us. Good call.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:26 pm

      Thanks Tim! I hope they have a good sense of humor about a lot of the things once they're old enough to read this blog and see what I've been saying about them all this time. 🙂

      Reply
  14. aspectsgalore says

    October 30, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Meredith, I shall think of you every time I go to a restaurant. I have some pet peeves when t comes to manners. People waving their knives and forks around as they talk for one, especially when there is food on them. a person's manners do tell a story about who they are.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:27 pm

      Yes, that's a good one about not waving forks and food around. My kids are usually so focused on getting the food in their mouths that we haven't had to deal with that yet! You're right though, manners say a lot about a person.

      Reply
  15. jbutler1914 says

    October 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    I don't have any kids but the manner menu's are awesome.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:28 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  16. andleeb says

    October 30, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    Wow! what a great Idea , I try to teach all this but verbally and all the time I am repeating like a record. I can use this in years to come as my little one can not read yet.
    Between I always ask her to put the required quantity that she can finish and ask her not to leave anything in plate behind. I want a clean plate from her before actually washing it 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 30, 2014 at 11:29 pm

      That's how I was too, I felt like a broken record, and I know my kids were getting tired of hearing it. This has really helped already. I like the clean plate rule too.

      Reply
  17. lenie5860 says

    October 31, 2014 at 12:32 am

    This is such a neat idea - making life lessons fun and interesting is much more effective than the nag. Hope many others pick up on it.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 02, 2014 at 7:52 pm

      Thanks Lenie, I hate being a nag, even though I know some if it is inevitable.

      Reply
  18. Welli says

    October 31, 2014 at 6:06 am

    Great idea and I can definitely identify with some of your table chat. I have downloaded the menu and will implement thanks Meredith.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 02, 2014 at 7:53 pm

      Thanks Welli! Hope it's helpful...

      Reply
  19. Ken Dowell says

    October 31, 2014 at 7:04 am

    I can easily see me son sitting down at the table, starting to read this through carefully and thoughtfully, and then, without looking up, reaching over with his hand to grab something off a surging platter so he has something to snack on while reading.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 02, 2014 at 7:54 pm

      Ha! That's funny Ken. Oh well, baby steps...

      Reply
  20. Susan Cooper/findingourwaynow.com says

    October 31, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    Love this idea! They should make it part of kids menu in restaurants. I'd add no burping or speaking with your mouth full. 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 02, 2014 at 7:55 pm

      That's a great idea about the kids menus! Those are good additions too.

      Reply
  21. Jeri Walker-Bickett (@JeriWB) says

    November 01, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    What a great idea. This post brought back lots of memories. I only learned table manners when I got a job at a nice restaurant. My family tended to eat dinner in front of the TV. I loved this line: "When they are hungry they turn into uncultured swine."

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 05, 2014 at 6:26 pm

      That's a good way to learn manners too, on the job. Although I hope mine learn before they're old enough to work, if only for my own sanity! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Kids Are A Trip says

    November 01, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    I love this and I am going to print it out for dinner at our house tomorrow night. I feel like a broken record "napkin in your lap", "chew with your mouth closed", ugh, maybe they'll learn one of these days. : O)

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 05, 2014 at 6:28 pm

      I hate the broken record feeling. You know you've gotten naggy when you start rolling your eyes at yourself! Hope this helps...

      Reply
  23. Deidre M.Simpson says

    November 02, 2014 at 12:41 am

    What a great idea, Meredith. I downloaded the menu. It's funny sometimes how all the verbal repetition can fail. Some of the bad influence comes from kids's friends. I will give your product a shot. Open-mouthed chewing and clothing used for napkins are the worst. To be fair, I haven't experienced the kid pouring cereal into the mouth followed by drinking milk from the carton.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 05, 2014 at 6:29 pm

      See? It could always be worse. Although the other night I caught myself doing exactly what I was telling my daughter not to do. Guess I need a menu too...

      Reply
  24. angelabrowerhobbs says

    November 02, 2014 at 4:22 am

    This is a great idea and the menu is creative and fun. Thanks for posting it for all to use! I'll be sharing it around. You're a fun lady. My kids aren't old enough to read yet. But I've been thinking that same thought about taking plates to the sink lately.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 05, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      Thanks Angela! Yes, I say start early training them to at least bring their dishes to the sink. That way they'll never remember not having to do it. I wish I'd started mine earlier...

      Reply
  25. Barbara Hoyer says

    November 03, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Congratulations on being featured at Motivation Monday!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 05, 2014 at 6:32 pm

      Thank you Barbara! I love Motivation Monday!

      Reply
  26. Adelien Tandian says

    November 06, 2014 at 6:01 am

    Here are some great ideas to teach western table manner that I can use for my sons. Thank you very much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 07, 2014 at 8:29 pm

      Thanks! I hope they're helpful!

      Reply
  27. Lisa - A Merry Mom says

    November 11, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Love it! Pinning. I recently wrote a post on teaching kids table manners, too. I'm going to update it with a link to your post - your manners menu is a great idea!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 11, 2014 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks Lisa! I'll link to yours too, we moms need all the help we can get!

      Reply
  28. Home Jobs by MOM (@HomeJobsbyMOM) says

    December 08, 2014 at 9:07 am

    Love your ideas! My kids don't often have the best table manners either. I always hate hear "I don't like that" ect. ect. lol.

    Reply
  29. Mary says

    November 11, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 16, 2017 at 5:34 pm

      Thanks Mary, that makes my day!

      Reply

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