Eat Neatly – How to teach children the table manners?

Table manners – Parents should teach their children at a younger age. It’s a procedure to be slowly started since your kid is very young, and practise him as time passes by. It starts with washing hands before he is given food. Start this practice at a younger age, and slowly the child remembers the procedure to wash hands before he starts his food. Yes, certain things become a habit when done repeatedly, and we need not make him remember every time. Good habits should be started at a very young age and the kid follows them as a habit throughout his life.

Dining is the social time he spends with his family members. So let him know, he should start eating only when all family members reaches the dining room. You can also instruct him to start eating only after food is served for everyone at the dining table. Also ask him never to interrupt others, carefully listen to chit chats of others, and never make pestering and unnecessary shouts. Thus he slowly learns what is social eating, and how to behave at dining. Slowly he shall enjoy it.

Now let us see three important things to be noted while having a dinner.

Table should be kept neat: When a kid starts eating himself, father or mother can assist him. They can teach him how to eat neatly. You need to continue the process for a while. When you teach him repeatedly he learns slowly. You should teach him to eat food without wasting it, never make table untidy and eat neatly. You can show him how to eat food neatly, how to mix side dishes with main course, drinking water or juices from glasses etc.  

Chew the food well: It’s equally important how he takes the food. Instruct him to slowly chew the food before swallowing. Also teach him, it’s irritating for others at dining table to see someone swallowing so much food quickly without taking any break. Ask him to make small food balls or tear into small pieces before he eats. Tell him that chewing food well is good for health.

Serve only sufficient food: Never serve excess food in a plate. Make him a habit to serve food little by little, and ask extra if needed. Also teach him how to transfer a food item to nearest member at dining table, if needed. If someone does this help for us, say, ‘Thank you’. It’s also a nice idea to teach him to pick up the plate, and also say ‘Thank You’ to the host if your family is the guest.

You can also teach kids how to use napkins, and how to use wash room. They are form a part of table manners. Note one thing. Habits good or bad, children learn from parents. So parents should also keep good table manners. Like a classroom, a kid may not always be obedient in the dining room. Parents should understand it, and take patience to teach him everything.

Before I conclude, a few tips on when to start non-vegetarian food in kids

You can start giving yellow yolk, fish and chicken when he reaches 8-9 months. But start white yolk only after 1.5 years. As mutton and beef are difficult to digest, it’s advisable not to give those dishes before he reaches 2. Whenever you start with a new food item, observe for next 2 weeks to confirm there is no allergic or digestive issues. Then only give the same dish for the second time. 

Image source: Pixabay.   

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