When to introduce table manners?

[AandO]

Hi, I have a 2.5 year old ds. I was wondering when I need to introduce table manners for him? He is very good in terms of please and thank yous but we have never stressed table manners to him as I guess as with many parents we are just happy if he'll eat the meal! Right now he eats with both cutlery and his hands depending upon how easily he can eat the type of food with his fork or spoon. We encourage use of cutlery, sometimes loading it and then putting it in his hand or saying 'why don't you try with your fork' etc, but do not force it. Also eating with mouth open, when should we start mentioning this to him? Is it the case that if I don't do it at a certain point I might miss a window and he'll have bad table manners forever? What age did your children begin eating with manners? Thanks

Just lead by example...
we did it with dd as soon as food was introduced tbh, but haven't stressed too much about reinforcement until she has understood more about what and why.

I think you sound like you have a good attitude towards this already. I wouldn't worry too much about eating with mouth open - my 5yo still occasionally does this!

You could maybe discourage talking with mouth full because 'we can't understand what you're saying with food in your mouth' - but we have only recently started to do this with DS2 who is 3.5.

You definitely won't miss a window - just lead by example and don't make a fuss if they slip up.

Straight away. Tell him to close his mouth systematically and try to stop him eating with his hands.

We started super-early with DD and it has reaped its rewards - we can take her anywhere to eat.

Thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to focus on getting him to use cutlery all the while first and see how that goes! Thanks

I think 2.5 is a little early to worry about it tbh. I'd be more concerned at whether he's getting good enough food and sits still long enough to have it.

My 3 dc's (11,8,7 years) have to be reminded not to interrupt eachother round the table etc but these are all social skills which come after toddlerhood. Other things I stipulate is that noone gets pudding till everyone else has finished their first course and noone gets down without asking first and preferably thanking me for the delicious meal

Their grandmother turns meals into a nightmare by constantly nagging about manners and it spoils the atmosphere and they clam up and don't want to eat or speak, which I think is a shame.

Oh I know what you mean Curiouscat, my dad was a nightmare for table manners, meal times were no fun at all as we were always being corrected. I'm hoping that he will not be a barbarian eating with just an occasional reminder....probably not going to happen I suppose!! I guess I'm concerned as my dh has awful table manners, as do his parents, he eats with his mouth open etc, it really really really bugs me. I ask him to eat with his mouth closed and he does for that second and then instantly he goes back to normal, he says he can't break the habit as its normal to him. So I worry that if its not instilled as a child he won't ever develop them, that's why I have this 'is there a certain window of time' concern. But at the same time we are laid back with ds and our priority is his happiness, I can't see me becoming all naggy with him.