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Week 05 · Set, Serve and Clear

Wednesday

Table talk and manners
// A family table from the first plate to the last wipe
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Table talk and manners

Dinner is on the table. Freddy the Frog talks with his mouth full. Riley reaches across Hazel for the salad.

Lucy taps her cup. "Friends, a table is a place for food and for talking. Let us do both kindly."

"Chew with your mouth closed. Ask instead of reaching. And take turns talking." Freddy swallows. "Sorry! What did everyone do today?" Hazel grins. "Now that is table talk."

Table manners are kindness

Manners are not fancy rules. They are small ways to be kind to the people around you.

Each one helps someone else enjoy the meal too.

MannerWho it helps
Napkin on your lapYou, and whoever washes the clothes
Chew with your mouth closedEveryone looking at you
Ask instead of reachingThe person you would reach across
Wait until everyone is servedThe cook, who gets to sit down too
Stay at the table until excusedThe whole family, who gets your company

Good table talk

Table talk is a conversation. A conversation has rules too, and they are simple.

Take turns. Listen while others talk. Ask a question about what they said.

Lucy likes one question for everyone: what was the best part of your day?

  • Take turns. One voice at a time.
  • Look at the person talking. Nod or say, tell me more.
  • Ask a follow-up question. Why was that your favorite part?
  • Stay on the topic until it is finished, then start a new one.
KIND TABLE CHOICES
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Riley reaches across Hazel for the salad. What should he do instead?
Freddy is talking. What do good listeners do?
Hazel says her best part was art class. Pick a follow-up question.
Where does your napkin go during the meal?
Instead of reaching across someone, you should what?
When everyone talks at once, what rule is broken?
StatementTrue or false?
Waiting until everyone is served is kind to the cook.?
Talking with your mouth full is good table talk.?
A follow-up question stays on the same topic.?
You may leave the table whenever you feel like it.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEManners and good talk both put other people first.
What question does Lucy like to ask everyone at dinner?
WHY THIS EXERCISEOne good question gets everyone talking and listening in turn.
PUT ONE GOOD CONVERSATION TURN IN ORDER.
  • ?Wait for them to finish
  • ?Listen while someone talks
  • ?Listen to the answer
  • ?Ask a follow-up question
WHY THIS EXERCISEA conversation is a loop of listening and asking. That is what keeps it going.
Try it
At your next meal, ask everyone the best part question.
Ask one follow-up question to each answer.
Notice who talked and who listened. Did everyone get a turn?

Kind words, kind table! Tomorrow the meal ends and the clearing begins.

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