Hygiene
Children need to be prim, proper and clean when they come to the table to eat food. If they’ve recently gone outside to play and they’ve gotten dirty, you can remind them to clean up before sitting down. Muddy hands and food don’t go well together and definitely aren’t a match made in heaven. Also, washing hands properly prevents kids from getting sick with the bacteria they get when they’re outside.
Using electronics at the table
Using phones, tablets, or any other electronic item at the dining table is a strict no-no. It takes the child’s attention away from eating and other people at the table. Since children learn a lot during their formative years, it’s crucial for them to learn how to interact with others. Remember to tell them not to chew with their mouth full! Spitting on someone by accident is an embarrassing situation that they can easily save themselves from experiencing.
Being patient
Even if your child finishes eating before everyone else, they need to learn to wait for everyone to finish. Why? It’s just a polite thing to do. They should know that instead of getting up as soon as they finish, they can first ask everyone if it’s okay for them to do so. Remember, patience is a virtue. However, if they need to go to the bathroom, let them! They’re young, and bladder control is something that they’re still learning!
Being respectful at the dining table
A highly significant part of good table etiquette revolves around being respectful. Saying please, thank you and you’re welcome is a must. Has someone passed the salt to you? Don’t forget to say thank you. When you’re done with your meal, thanking whoever made or brought it is the right thing to do.
Expressing gratitude is a skill that extends beyond the table, but it’s a good place to start nonetheless. Explain to your children that criticising food isn’t a kind thing to do. However, if they see something that they’re allergic to on the dining table, it’s important for them to be vocal about it so that severe allergic reactions can be avoided.
While carrots and peas may be fun foods to roll around on the plate, it’s best that children refrain from playing with or throwing their food around.
Picking up dishes and putting food away
If your child has good hand-eye coordination, they can start picking up dishes and taking them to the sink to be washed. Doing this after everyone is done will leave a positive impression on whoever’s sitting at the dining table, and your child will gain a sense of discipline after doing this on a regular basis. They can also start learning to put leftover food in containers so that it can be put back into the fridge!
Conclusion
Yellow Class is an online platform where children can pick up skills that, apart from the above-listed actions, will help them with personality development and self-discipline. There are many online hobby classes that they can participate in, and you can join them to create a good bonding experience.