For co-op, we studied England and how some of the cultures' ways are more formal than what we are used to. For instance, the fine art of dining etiquette. It was quite comical to see K-2nd graders try to figure out which fork went to which course, which knife to butter with, and how to cut and eat one piece of food at a time. And boy, there were a lot of dishes to clean. Good 'ole US of A! Some french fries, hamburgers, and pizza and we don't even need utensils.
For those of us that have multiple children, it is so much easier to make all their plates (while reaching over anyone sitting in the way), cut all the meat, butter all the biscuit, and put all the food on ONE plate before the family scarfs up the meal like they haven't eaten in two days...after a child says a barely counting prayer that says only to "bless the food" (stated as one word) while chewing a "sample" and arm reaching toward the ketchup to be first because it is almost empty right after a rushed "amen".
It was fun to try to eat a big breakfast this way- but considering it took 1 hour to eat, we will probably limit the "table manner" practice to once a month. For anyone needing to brush up on their English etiquette, try to do these things...
1. Put a dollop of butter on your butter plate, break off a little piece of bread one at a time with your fingers, then butter that piece only with your butter knife. Use your knife only to butter, not to cut. Repeat about 15 times until bread is gone.
2. Never put your utensils back onto the table after they have been used.
3. No elbows on table.
4. Cloth napkin on lap. If you must leave, put the napkin in your chair, not the table. When finished with the meal, leave it loose on the table on the left, not on the plate, not crumpled up and not smoothed (leaves the impression that the host will re-use it without washing it)
5. No hats at dinner table for men. Women don't wear hats in their own home.
6. Men wait for women to be seated. If a lady leaves or arrives, men arise.
7. Everyone waits till host raises her fork to eat before beginning their own food.
8. Serve from the right, and pick up from the right. Food should come from your left.
9. Dip soup spoon away from you and eat from the spoon facing sideways (not having the spoon coming straight toward you)
10. Chew with mouth closed. Don't talk with food in your mouth. Don't over-chew.
11. Merely state, "No thank you" if offered something you do not want.
12. Say only "excuse me" if you need to use the restroom- don't announce that you need to use the restroom.
13. No stretching, blowing nose,
flatulating, belching.
14. Use knife in right hand and fork in left to cut. Prongs facing down. American style is cut with right, fork in left, then knife down and switch fork to right to eat.
15. Eat with prongs facing down.
16. Only cut one bite at a time. Put knife down on plate
in between bites facing inward.
17. No phone calls or
texting.
18. Wait for the host to rise before getting up from dinner.
19. With multiple utensils, start on the outside and work your way in. Salad fork on outer left. Dessert fork above plate. Dessert fork is facing opposite spoon because you would use the left hand for it.
20. When finished, place your fork and knife together on the plate at 6 o'clock with fork on left, prongs up and knife on right, blade facing in. Or fork and knife crossed at 10 and 2 with prongs down signals that you are done,
and the servers can take your plate.
21. If you are talking, or have to leave for a second but aren't done eating, place your fork at 8 o'clock and your knife at 4 o'clock with your blade facing in.
22. Don't lean down towards your plate. Sit tall and bring the food to your mouth.
23. Drinks are served to the right.
24. Salt and pepper should be passed together.
25. If drinking wine, carry by stem of glass for white wines and cup of glass for red wines.
26. Do not talk, laugh loudly. Make sure you are not dominating the conversation. Do not interrupt.
27. It is acceptable to have food left on your plate.
28. Never use your fingers to push the food on your fork.
29. Remember to thank your host.
So, having said that... do you want to tell me which numbers you actually do on a normal basis? Or would you rather put a number to the things that have never happened?
For the Tuckers- we normally do
5, 11, 17, 27 and hardly ever do the rest.
But let me tell you- when the timer rang and the kids were allowed to eat however they wanted- my kids really knew how to shovel their food, use their fingers, eat big bites, talk with food in their mouths and had a gorgeous "happy plate".
