Table manners

[spmamma]

When did your LO really start to understand the concept of table manners? By this, I mean:

• Not chewing with your mouth open
• Not talking with your mouth full
• Not shrieking/yelling at the table
• Not playing with food/utinsels

DD is going to be 3 in June and while I think she's pretty well mannered at the table I'm starting to wonder when she'll get the above concepts. I can't stand the chewing with her mouth open, but she doesn't seem to get how to chew with her mouth closed. I try to show her, but she just ends up smacking even louder. I'm trying to be patient and understanding, but I'm wondering is she too young to get these concepts or should I be working with her more on them?

[elmh23]

Dd is 5 and still chews with her mouth open and every now and then will talk with her mouth full (but that's getting pretty rare these days.) She doesn't yell or play with her food anymore, but I'm not sure when that stopped. My ds is newly 3 and the only one he doesn't do at least four times a week is the yelling at the table. But I'm not sure he ever really yelled at the table in the first place (he has a language delay and is has never really made a lot of noise.)

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by elmh23

Dd is 5 and still chews with her mouth open and every now and then will talk with her mouth full (but that's getting pretty rare these days.) She doesn't yell or play with her food anymore, but I'm not sure when that stopped. My ds is newly 3 and the only one he doesn't do at least four times a week is the yelling at the table. But I'm not sure he ever really yelled at the table in the first place (he has a language delay and is has never really made a lot of noise.)

What was your DD like at 3? Sounds like maybe your son and my DD are on the same page? Or maybe he's further along...

I'm curious to hear from others, too. Anyone else?

[Ashes]

sorry... my kid isn't quite two yet and does all of the above, and worse... throws food and screams at us.

[4Jet]

at 2.5 DD does all but Not shrieking/yelling at the table
I tell her we must have good manners while eating dinner/ lunch at the table. I quietly ask her to lower her voice and to not yell while at the table. It may take 2-3 times but she'll listen.

I figure with practice and reminding, eventually she'll have good table manners. There are other things I'm more concerned about- I save the battles for bigger issues, you know?

[onyxravnos]

it takes a while. chewing with your mouth open / talking with your mouth full takes Forever my 6 yr old DSD still needs to be reminded all the time.

yelling/shouting at the table can probably be learned at 3 but the other ones? not yet.

[spmamma]

Thanks, everyone. It's actually a big relief to hear that she's moving along at the same rate as other kids. We rarely have the opportunity for playdates, so I'm sometimes on an island here.

I've kind of figured that she'll need more time on her table manners - I just needed some confirmation from other mamas out there. I'm not a pushy mama when it comes to learning new concepts - she gets them when she gets them. But I do like to start teaching her things when it seems like she's ready.

At this point, I haven't felt as though she is ready so I haven't pushed it.

[hergrace]

FWIW, I remember that my brother and I had to be reminded about some of those basics into elementary school.

[Peppermint Poppies]

My DS will be 3 in April, and we're still working on remaining sitting at the table while eating I'm also starting to ask him not to talk to me with half-chewed food in his mouth, but it's not something he remembers to do of his own accord.

[~NewMa~]

If any of you have seen the movie about Helen Keller then you are familiar with my childs table manners.
He goes from lap to lap picking off of everyones plates. I hate it! It's starting to get a little better thankfully. But no, he is far fro understanding the above concepts. Sometimes the only way e can get him to take a bite is if we have him pretend to be a dog (or horse or dinosaur)- just like when the mom from "A Christmas Story" had her son eating otmeal like a piggy...
hey, we do whatever works.
On the bright side- he does use a napkin! Go figure...

[~NewMa~]

BTW, my son will be 2 next month

[bluebirdiemama]

Can't help with either of the first two. But the shreiking at our house would result in having a time out, in another room, not very far away, but separated from the family. My ds would be allowed to come back to the table when he is ready to behave. And mistreating things in our house results in them being taken away. So utentils being thrown on the floor would result in the entire plate being taken away (unless something that can be eaten with fingers). The plate returned when lo is ready to behave.
My ds is almost 3. This has worked well for us for many months