table manners...what are your expectations?

[Heidi]

Talking preschool and younger set here...


What are your expectations and rules?

Obviously, there is a learnng curve for toddlers, but what do you strive for?

[snbauser]

No horsing around
Feet on the floor
No playing with food
Use their utensils (when they are capable)
Please and Thank You's when asking for more
At least 1 "thank you bite" of everything.
Napkin on their plate when they are done.

[laundrymom]

Once they are at big kid table, 16-18 mo they are expected to sit and eat. Off their own plate. Mostly using forks and spoons independently. I begin transitioning them to big cup about 14 months. They must ask to be excused. The words start with excuse or please and end up at may I please be excused? We do not bang our hands, stomp our feet or hurt our friends. We don't have a typical circle time but do our calendar and weather during lunch. We do sharing and best thing that happened today at afternoon snack. Morning snack we work on colors and spatial concepts.

[awestbrook713]

No talking while food is in their mouths.
No stuffing food in their mouths or super big bites. (more of a safety thing)
Sit on their bottems.
No getting up and down especially with food in their mouths.
Trying atleast one bite of everything.
I try to break them from saying "I don't like ******" I can't stand this since most of the time its something they have never tried and once one says it it spreads like wild fire.

[hoopinglady]

no nasty talk
no belching intentionally
no yelling
bottom in the chair
use silverware, or at least try
please and thank you
more please, yes please or no thank you
no toys on the table
don't play with dishes or food...unless it sticking pretzels on fingers or some such.....
no talking with mouth full

adding the "I don't like" thing too...I say, if you don't like it don't eat it. Furthermore, I encourage a few bites but try not to fight about it.

[Heidi]

no nasty talk
no belching intentionally
no yelling
bottom in the chair
use silverware, or at least try
please and thank you
more please, yes please or no thank you
no toys on the table
don't play with dishes or food...unless it sticking pretzels on fingers or some such.....
no talking with mouth full

adding the "I don't like" thing too...I say, if you don't like it don't eat it. Furthermore, I encourage a few bites but try not to fight about it.

My sister always says (cheerfully) "you don't have to like it, you just have to eat it"

[morgan24]

I expect them to sit down and eat. Use manners, don't play. When they are done they wait for me to wash their face and hands and they can leave the table to sit in the living room and read books. I have a open floor plan so I can see everything going on from the kitchen.