Teaching kids table manners

Nov 11, 2009 11:50 AM by Michelle Maffei

Posted in Parenting / Age by Age

Holiday Table Etiquette

All children can behave like little turkeys once in a while, but when the family is sitting around the Thanksgiving table, the only turkey should be the main course! Find out which table manners you should expect of your child this Thanksgiving meal.

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Reinforcement

To follow the rules, your kids need you to explain what table manners are expected of them. Here's how to ensure that your youngster not only picks up, but retains, his etiquette lessons for this Thanksgiving's spread:

Begin with the general concept of manners and associate proper holiday dinner behavior with how she makes others feel
Start with one rule at a time, choosing which behaviors are deal breakers and which you can ignore
Teach by example and show your kiddies the good manners you're advocating
Be consistent and nip bad table behavior in the bud every time
Give lots of praise; children respond to positive reinforcement, so recognize when they are practicing good manners

Practice makes perfect, so begin teaching tableside behavior as soon as possible to ensure a pleasant Thanksgiving for everyone.