Table Talk
INTRODUCTION
Good manners are the way you behave and treat others. Good manners show respect for others. You should always use good manners even when you don’t feel like it. Manners involve your whole personality. You can’t have one set of manners for one group of friends and a different set of manners for another group of friends. Through good manners, we show our consideration and thoughtfulness of others.
Manners are as important at home as they are away from home. Sometimes we forget this. it may seem that we can treat family members any old way. Often times we may be disrespectful to family members because someone has been disrespectful to you. This can be a vicious cycle. It is hard to change a habit of being disrespectful, but the results are worth the effort. We can feel good about ourselves when we are nice to other people.
WHAT TO DO
Introduce mealtime manners by playing the Beach Ball Toss: Inflate a beach ball and with a permanent marker, write statements from the Manners at Meal Time sheet on the ball. Have youth form a circle and toss the ball across the circle. The person who catches the ball reads the statement closest to their right thumb. Continue playing until all youth have had a chance to read a statement.
Use the table setting poster, or the Table Talk handout to review a proper table setting. Have a table setting relay. Using two sets of basic table setting items, place each set in a box. Divide the group into half. Set boxes about twenty feet from the two lines of youth. The first person in each line runs to table takes out one item and puts it in the proper place on the table. The team that gets the table setting correct first wins.
Divide your members into groups and have them act out Table Talk Role Play Situations. After they have acted out the written situation, allow the entire group to discuss what should have been done. Then have them act out the proper way to handle the situation. Feel free to add props such as a table and chairs, place settings, and even napkins.
Play the Napkin Manners game. Make two copies of Napkin Manners then cut into strips. Place each set into an envelope. Write “Do” on two small paper bags and “Don’t” on two small paper bags. Have youth divide into teams. Set two bags (one of each) about 20 feet from each team line. The first person will draw a statement out of the envelope and run to the bags. He or she will place the statement in either the “do” or the “don’t” bag. The team who places the most statements in the correct bag wins the relay.
Good Manners at Meal Time
- Sit straight in the chair, do not slouch, bring food to your mouth – not your mouth to your food
- Napkins are kept in your lap unfolded halfway
- Begin eating after everyone at your table has been served
- Chew with your mouth closed
- Pass food in one direction
- Butter only a bite of bread/roll at a time, not the entire slice
- Cut only one or two pieces of meat at a time
- Use silverware from the outside in
- When finished, place napkin partly folded to the left of the dinner plate
- Place knife, fork and spoon in plate when you are finished
- Ask for food to be passed to you, do not reach for it
- If you need to leave the table during the meal, say “excuse me”
- Do not blow your nose or pick your teeth at the table
- Wait for everyone to be seated before beginning to eat
- Take small amounts of food at first
- Talk about pleasant things when eating
- Politely refuse something you dislike
Resources: Manners: Keys to Success, 4-H Leader’s Guide, Duval County 4-H Youth Developmental Program, Jacksonville, FL.
TALK IT OVER
Sharing-
- What was the hardest part of this activity?
- What did you enjoy the most?
Processing-
- Have you ever been around someone who did not have good table manners?
- How did it make you feel?
Generalizing-
- Why is it important to have good manners?
- How do you think manners will help you in the future?
Applying-
- What types of situations in life require you to demonstrate good manners?
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