same here most of the time, except some nights the kids are coming and going at different times, so we try to be a bit flexible with waiting till everyone is finished or is ready to start.

and some meals I plate up, like steak and veg, or some desserts

and often the first serving of something like sate chicken, cos I have one kid who will avoid the chicken and just have the sauce on the rice, given the chance, and another who will go through and pick out all the chicken

or with something like a stir fry, the two little ones will hunt through, pick out all the good bits and try and dodge the veg LOL

Crikey and Stawka, I agree totally with manners and decorum and togetherness around the table.  

When I don't have company at meal times, I still set the table for one.

 "Pass the salt and pepper, please"

DEB

One of mine, no matter how many times they are told, will have to be reminded at least once every meal to take their elbows off the table or not lean on the table. 

If we displayed bad table manners, my father and the nuns when at school would simply instruct us to leave the table

I was the youngest by 15 yeaRS, so by the time I was allowed at the main table, everyone else were adults, so I was generally not allowed to talk, had to listen to the adults kind iof thing without contibuting, but was always given an opportunity to raise anything I wanted to talk about and asked something relative to myself which I was expected to elaborate further than "good thanks".

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

 everyone else were adults, so I was generally not allowed to talk, had to listen to the adults kind iof thing without contibuting, but was always given an opportunity to raise anything I wanted to talk about and asked something relative to myself which I was expected to elaborate further than "good thanks".

 

 

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Crikey not being able to talk?  How harrowing  for you

Making up for lost time are we?.

DEB

It is permissable, apparently to have one elbow on the table

Or so they tell me.

But what about kids/people who cut their food

with their elbows in the air, ready to punch you in the mouth

if you're sitting next to them.

I have found that the proper height of the chairseat could avoid the "wings" of a child.  

DEB

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@lloydslights wrote:

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

 everyone else were adults, so I was generally not allowed to talk, had to listen to the adults kind iof thing without contibuting, but was always given an opportunity to raise anything I wanted to talk about and asked something relative to myself which I was expected to elaborate further than "good thanks".

 

 

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Crikey not being able to talk?  How harrowing  for you

 

Making up for lost time are we?.

 

DEB

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Don't think that went unnoticed.......

..................

and something else - your finger wasn't allowed to slide down the knife or fork - had to always rest on the handle iykwim - instant dismissal from the table for that one

My eldest has very poor fine motor skills, so he really struggles to hold cutlery, especially correctly and to also use it with some kind of coordination (He also had CBD which adversely affects coordination and balance) - (even after 16 years of Occupational Therapy), and my father and mother were VERY hard on him - a lot of battles were had over the years to get them to make allowances for him so he could be included at family meals when the GPs were present.

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@imastawka wrote:

It is permissable, apparently to have one elbow on the table

Or so they tell me.

 

But what about kids/people who cut their food

with their elbows in the air, ready to punch you in the mouth

if you're sitting next to them.

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nope, can rest one forearm against the table, but never with cutlery ion the air - have to hold your arms as if playing the piano, so they cutlery faces towards the table and the wrists are straight, but your elbows are tucked in like chicken wings against your body

oh, and put cutlery down between mouthfulls of food - not get a mouthful and start loading up yopur fork for the next mouthful LOL

oops CBD=CDD up there

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@lloydslights wrote:

I have found that the proper height of the chairseat could avoid the "wings" of a child.  

 

DEB

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 And what height do I have the seat for a 6 foot 15 yo?    Hahaha

Just cannot get through to that boy!!