Manners & Etiquette

  
Table Manners & Etiquette:
What's the Big Deal?

Have you ever been to a restaurant and wondered which fork, spoon or napkin to use? Or, have you ever reached for your water glass only to discover that someone else is drinking from it?  For many, the practice of good table manners and etiquette, that were common place a generation or two ago, are sometimes tossed out in favor of convenience.

Our twenty-first century lifestyle is often fast paced and informal, and many of our young people simply have not been taught or have few opportunities to practice proper table etiquette. We know how valuable it is for our campers to learn and practice these skills so they will be equipped in all types of social settings.  

Javon, serving his class, the "Royal Lions" (2nd - 3rd grade) their morning snack.  On this day, we had apple slices.

This week, campers discussed common table manner, and the reasons why they are important.

• No elbows on the table.  You might get food on your clothes.
• Chew with your mouth closed.  You might drop food out of your mouth and give us something unsightly to see.
• Don't reach across the table.  You might knock something over.
• Don't stuff food in your mouth.  You could easily choke, plus you cannot talk with your mouth stuffed with food!

Campers also learned how to set the table. It is never too young to learn table etiquette, as our PreK-1st  graders (The Powerful Butterflies) quickly demonstrated their skills and memorized this simple poem:

"Napkins on the left, laying nice and straight.

Then comes the fork, right beside the plate.

Knife is on the right, spoon just beside.

Drinking glass or coffee cup, straight ahead with pride!"

"Powerful Butterflies" (PreK - 1st)  setting the tabl 

                                                        

Whether it’s serving snacks to fellow camper classmates, practicing every day common courtesies such as saying, “Please” and Thank you," or making simple introductions, you’ll find Freetown Village campers demonstrating these skills. We believe the campers can use these lessons and examples of etiquette the rest of their lives.