What are your rules when sitting at the table?

[S88AHG]

I am just wondering, mine are just basically you sit still until everyone has finished and I dont like them messing about and chatting about silly things, as meal times have to be done quickly so everyone is fed before being picked up/dropped off. I dont like messing about at the table and I am very strict at enforcing it, am I a mean CM? But I dont want my own children to mess about so therefore cant allow mindees? TIA

Well, my ds isn't big enough yet, but mine are: No talking with your mouth full of food. You do not leave the table until we are all done. And no elbows on the table.

Message withdrawn

S88AHG I think you are being perfectly reasonable. At home, I have the rules of no singing, wait at the table until everyone has finished and ask to leave the table.

Mealtimes can be quite challenging as it becomes apparent that mindies are used to quite different rules in their own homes. Most want to take their food around the room and some expect to find their plate of food still there if they return to the table an hour after i washed up.

Wash hands first, then I have named laminated placemats so they find their own place (and the younger ones can practice writing their name while I dish up/bring pudding).
chairs are for sitting on, no toys at table
close mouth when eating, finish mouthful before talking
No pudding until they've made a decent stab at first course (if there's something they won't try then I can't possibly know if they like it or not so they'll get it again)
Ask to get down. I don't make them wait til everyone else has finished; one mindie can easily take an hour to enjoy her meal yet a younger child is usually done in 10 mins.
Once they've left table, thats it; no more food til next meal or snack time.

You have all made me feel better, I think it is just because different people have different rules at home and some children are nt used to sitting at the table! Thank you

your not mean atall S88AHG. perfectly reasonably to expect good manners at the table.
im with all of you and your rules,and just to add that it really annoys me when half way thro a meal someone says "i need a wee" so mindees are asked to go to the toilet before sitting at table,if they dont want to go but decide half way thro a meal they shouldve gone when asked then they have to wait till after theyve finished.!

no singing, bozza

We have the usual rules, such as trying not to talk with mouth full. They are allowed to leave the table as they finish - some of mine take forever to eat and it's unfair to make everyone else wait.

I certainly don't encourage messing about, but I do regard mealtimes as a fun part of our day. We have general chat and, I'm afraid, it may involve singing.

My mindees are all very young, and some of them are not good eaters. Doing other things rather than thinking about eating food seems to get them eating better!

Besides, lunchtime is the time I take on board all the little snippets of information that small children like to divulge about their parents which I can embarrass parents with later!!

Mine are

you sit on your bottom, in the middle of your chair with your legs dangling under the table

you use your knife and fork and spoon (not fingers)

you eat 'nicely'
u dont play with food... or spin your knife around and around

you can have 1 drink of squash / juice but until youve finished your 1st course thats it until all gone (can have water)

you do not get down at all

you say "please can i get down, thanks u etc... then your hands and face and wiped and then you can get down

aldo no toys at the table.... ever

No singing was introduced years ago for a reason. The reason has been lost in the mists of time.

I have more rules that I had forgotten about. Such as not talking with mouth full, trying everything etc. When DS has playdates you can tell they are not used to it sometimes.

And no toys. These have to go on the worktop next to the fridge.

On my Cm course they said eating at the table is an important part of the day and to encourage socail skill.
Manners just go without saying