TABLE
MANNERS There lived a girl named Lisa, with her parents, , a brother Jim and sister Mona. Lisa was a good girl,
good at studies, but a short-tempered girl who used to get very angry whenever she was hungry. One day Lisa’s favourite aunt and her cousins were coming for dinner. Lisa was so happy at the prospect of playing with her cousins that she could not wait till evening! At around 7 pm just before her aunt and cousins were supposed to arrive, Lisa’s mother told Lisa,
“Please come and have your dinner dear. You will take half an hour to finish your food, so if you start
eating now, you will finish by the time our
guests arrive.”
Lisa- “ But mom, why me alone? What about Jim and Mona?”
Mom- “ They will eat with the guests. I don’t want any trouble while eating food, since I have taken the trouble to prepare everything. You see you don’t behave well. If you pick up a quarrel while having dinner, our guests will not like it. I will feel bad then.”
Lisa- “ But mom I promise to behave today. Please let me eat with them”
Mom- “ No, I am taking no chances. Last time also you spilt food and angered your dad. Till you learn your manners, you will not be allowed to sit with guests”
Lisa (crying)- “ Oh mom! Why am I like this? Today I just don’t want any dinner. I don’t want to eat alone.
Thus feeling lonely and dejected, Lisa went to sleep but with a determination to learn manners from now on.
Now what are those manners children?
Be cheerful when you come to the dinner table, wish everybody and sit to eat. Pass on the food to others, do not serve yourself first and fill your plate
Never pick up an argument or quarrel with your mom, brother or sister. It spoils the spirit of eating together
Never read a book or watch TV while eating. Instead ask others how their day went. Make light pleasant conversation
Do not finish much before others and walk off with your plate. In case you finish first, wait for others to finish. If you are in a hurry then say’ excuse me’ before leaving
Do not talk with food in your mouth. Avoid making irritating noises with mouth or with hands- tapping etc. Also be careful not to shake your legs. It may hit the other person sitting next to you
Guess what? Lisa realized her mistake and felt bad at having behaved so badly. She learnt her table manners fast and next time she was having dinner with guests!