Macaroni and Please: Lesson Seven

Beware the Table Monsters

By Lewena Bayer and Karen Mallett

These days it seems that children/families rarely have an opportunity (or take the time) to eat together at the table. More and more we are on the run, eating as we go. Children spend a lot of time eating in the car, in front of the TV or at fast food restaurants. Because these environments are so casual and everyone is in a rush, we tend to expect, and exhibit, fewer manners. Technically, the guidelines for eating and table manners have not changed much and manners are still expected- regardless of where you are, and what you’re eating, how rushed you might be, or who you are eating with. Basic table manners are the same for both formal and informal situations.

Objectives:

• Introduce the table monsters.
• Discuss which behavior by each monster is rude.
• Suggest alternative, polite behaviours.

Knowledge Material:

Introduce the topic by saying “Eating is something we do everyday. So, everyday we have an opportunity to practice good manners and send positive impressions.”  Ask your children how they use their manners when they eat, then ask how come if they all use their manners, there are so many table monsters around? Children will ask what a table monster is.  Talk to them about the various manner mishaps that can come to the table.  Consider reading pages 6-11 from Beware the Table Monsters.

Note: This lesson is one of the most popular with children. Even very young children will laugh when they see an adult eat like the cookie monster. You could in fact, (outdoors if possible) give each child a cookie and let them be table monsters- cookie monster specifically. Let them make a big mess and lots of noise and have some fun, and then get into the lesson- explaining that they will be hungry, waste food, and make a mess, if they act like cookie monsters.

This lesson could be presented at lunchtime. Maybe videotape children on a normal lunch day, then after or during the lesson, show the video and let them see who was behaving like a table monster.

Practice Exercises/Activities:

Provide dress up clothes and let children role-play the table monsters. Or, ask children to make up five new “dining darlings” or “food fairies” who are opposite the table monsters in appearance and in behaviours. Food Fairies might include:

• Nellie Neat freak- opposite the Wrinklepuss
• Tinybite Fairy-opposite the Slobbergobblerex
• Smiley Fairy  -opposite the Crankypants
• PickerUpper Princess Fairy - opposite the Toyasaurous
• Mr. Quietmouse -opposite the Squirminwormin

JUST FOR FUN:

Here’s a tongue twister to help you remember to say please and thank you at the table. Try to say it as fast as you can three times.
                
 “ PARDON ME MR. PETER PATTERSON, PASS THE POT OF PAN FRIED POTATOES PLEASE. “