Helping People grow!

Some Tips and Ideas.

• You shouldn’t put your elbows on the inner table.
• It is polite to keep your elbows tucked in so as to not bump the person who is sitting next to you on either side. They should do the same for you.
• Make sure that you are presentable when you sit down to eat with a clean face and clean hands.
• Watch everyone else, when they start eating you can.
• Make sure that everyone is at the table seated before you eat.
• Even if very hungry please don’t gulp down the food, take your time – chew your food slowly, swallow quietly.
• Please, no crude or distasteful conversation at the dinner table. Even if others do this, show that you are polite, respectful and have style by not following distasteful behavior at the dinner table.
• Please always be aware of where the drinks, plates and so on are so as to not bump anything or tip over the person next to you drinks.
• Always be polite and say, “Thank you!” and “Please?” like, “Can you please pass the salt?”
• It is impolite and possibly disastrous to stand up and reach across the table to get the salt, pepper and so on. It is better to ask someone to pass what you want to you, then nothing gets knocked over.
• Keep your feet tucked in under you so as not to bump or touch other people’s feet.”
• Please don’t put other objects on the table while eating with others, or eating out, such as books, bags, toys, and so on.
• When eating with friends or special occasions turn your cell phone off or notify anyone likely to call or text that you will be having dinner with so-and-so’s family and you are not available for that time.
• Eat with your mouth closed. If you have food in your mouth please swallow before you speak or else food may come out onto the table and you may make people at the table feel unwell viewing the mushed contents of your mouth.
• Don’t use your fingers when eating. For some cultures and people this is acceptable, so you may want to observe what the family or people who you are eating with do.
• It is good manners to ask to be excused from the table.
• If you are given a napkin or there is one on the table use it. If you are unsure watch what the other people at the table do, see how they fold the napkin and whether they put it on their lap or tuck it in at their neck etc.
• It is polite to not lower your head to the food, rather one should take the food all the way to the mouth.
• Please don’t making eating noises loudly or the likes of slurping noises.
• Chat politely. I have known of families who do not talk until the food is eaten in the plates and everyone is finished eating, so please be aware that other families may do things differently than you, so do please be respectful of their rules.
• Please don’t check your phone or other devices at the dinner table while eating.
• Please don’t smoke at the dinner table.
• Please don’t lean your chair back or unbalance it.
• Please don’t take food off other people’s plates.
• It is impolite to wave your food utensils around, especially if they have food on them because the food can come off and land in another plate or on the table.
• Please keep your personal issues with anyone at the table to yourself, you can deal with that sort of thing elsewhere at another time.
• Please keep the conversation light. Don’t bring up personal issues, sex life, relationship issues, work problems, legal issues and so on.
• If you need to cough, cover your mouth and cough to the side away from the table if you can, or make an apology and leave the table if need be, everyone will understand. Same for uncontrollable sneezing and so on.
• Don’t eat too much no matter how much you enjoy the meal. You may feel ill from overeating or from eating something delightful and new that you have not tried before, and then you get sick and that would ruin the meal for everyone. If you are hungry later, get something to eat at home.
• It is polite to not ask for seconds and thirds unless you are a regular eater at that home or with these people.
• Please don’t take the hosts or guests for granted and expect them to put up with your foolishness or impolite behavior.
• Please try not to fidget, tap your knife or fork on  plate or the table, or constantly tap your foot impatiently.
• Please don’t put another person “on the spot” by making fun of them, embarrassing that person, shaming them or the hosts, to get a few cheap laughs.
• Please don’t try eating something new like an Italian spaghetti dish without knowing how to eat spaghetti.
• It is considered rude to interrupt someone telling a  story and then start telling your story. Please wait, let the other person tell everyone what they are saying then have your turn.