11 June 2009

Manner Jar



Table Manners at our house have been raggy round the edges at best. We have a bunch of squirmy worms, who regularly wriggle in their seats, talk with their mouth full, complain about the food and jump down (without permission) while everyone else is still eating.

I am thinking, I'd better do something about this before I launch these hogs into the world.
And then I remembered Rebecca's great idea of The Manner Jar. Rebecca wrote about this years ago (on her old blog),when my little piggies were still in nappies. Back then they were too young to try it out on them, but by golly they aren't now!



The idea is that you write down lots of different Table Manners on slips of paper, put them in a jar and at each meal, you draw one out and practise it at that meal. When everyone in the family is regularly displaying great table manners you are then fit to go out in public and have a special meal somewhere like a restaurant. We have made a start and so far it seems to be helping improve things.

Here's our list of manners:
  • Say “Please” and “Thank you”
  • Stay at the table until everyone has finished
  • Say nice things to the cook
  • Don’t talk with your mouth full
  • Sit nicely in your chair
  • Eat nicely without making a mess
  • Eat all your dinner without making a fuss
  • Ask “Can I leave the table” when you have finished
I let the two big kids pick out one manner each, so we get to practise two manners each dinner.

Dash reads them out (great reading practise). The kids love it. I love it. So much easier than nagging and growling. I'm all for that.

So watch out - we could soon be appearing at a Restaurant near you!


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7 comments:

meg said...

You are so full of good ideas (even if you did pinch this one), just downloading the photos of our cuties from this morning :o)

Sammy said...

What a GREAT idea! I am saving that in my "great Mommy ideas" file in my head.
Your wonderful Mommy-ness inspires me xxxx

Tammy said...

Okay, I'm definitely stealing this one! Mealtimes at my house is like feeding time at the zoo lately. But I think that you've just given me something to bring a bit more refinement to the wild natives over here!

Lala said...

great idea!! we could do with one of those around here!!

Tried looking for you yesterday but didn't see you either - I got there a bit early and you must have slipped through to room 7 while I was in room 6. Anyway will see you next week for sure as you guys will be going to room 6 right?

Kristi said...

I might have to try this with my kids.

Unknown said...

I think we will be adopting that philosophy here. So simple yet so captivating.xx

Gemz said...

Great idea Simone I'm definitely using this one!!!

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