General manners

[adrian29uk]

I was always told to say please, thank you, get your arms off the table, don't leave the table before finishing your meal, does this mean I am a snob or is this just general manners?
Is it me, or do you feel these sorts of things have gone out of the window.

 

[pishhead]

I was always told to say please, thank you, get your arms off the table, don't leave the table before finishing your meal, does this mean I am a snob or is this just general manners?
Is it me, or do you feel these sorts of things have gone out of the window.

Completely agree. Manners maketh man and all that.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

We insist our lad (he's two and a half) asks before he can leave the dinner table.

 

[CHAPPERS]

''Please may I get down, thank you for my dinner''

 

[sam86]

I HATE the whole no elbows on the dinner table 'thing'. Utterly pointless.

 

[Nibble]

Yes, I think manners are important. As you, I was taught table manners, please and thank you and all that. I think there is less of this about now but it is still out there.

My grandad used to tell me off for having elbows on the table with this great phrase

"There is only one joint allowed on my dinner table and that's the beef joint"

 

[Lord Bracknell]

We insist our lad (he's two and a half) asks before he can leave the dinner table.

But does he wait for the answer? Or is it just a slogan that he intones, as part of the business of rushing off to wherever he want to go?

I'm always impressed by kids who stay at the table until everyone is ready to get down. What is particularly impressive is seeing adults who involve children in mealtime conversations. If that happens, the kids might even want to stay at the table.

 

[J2 BHA]

I'm with you all the way. I try to instill in my kids the same set of manners I have and I can honestly say that everyone I know with young kids is doing the same, i'm not aware of anyone I know with kids who hasn't/wouldn't teach them to say please or thank you.

Having said that i find that things like letting OAP's have your seat on the train/bus and holding doors open certainly doesn't seem widespread anymore. I do this without fail and will make sure my kids do the same. Sometime i wonder if I'm old fashioned (i'm 33 FFS!) but it seems like common courtesy to me.

Interstingly, i took my 6 year old to Gunwharf Quays in Pompey on Saturday and on two different occasions when we were there people commented how polite he was...mind you this was in Portsmouth! Just made me think that people can't be as polite as they 'used to be' otherwise it wouldn't have been commented on, would it?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Manners cost nothing. A bloke barged in front of me this morning whilst waiting for the tube to Canary Wharf, so I looked at him in a very dissaproving manner - suspect he was French, but I have no proof of this.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

But does he wait for the answer? Or is it just a slogan that he intones, as part of the business of rushing off to wherever he want to go?

I'm always impressed by kids who stay at the table until everyone is ready to get down. What is particularly impressive is seeing adults who involve children in mealtime conversations. If that happens, the kids might even want to stay at the table.

He does and he has to ask both Mummy and Daddy. And the cheeky little sod has started to also ask his baby sister as well, who usually squeals permission from her high chair.

 

[jordanseagull]

Finish your meal before you leave the table?

WTF.

What if you aren't hungry? You must force it all down you even though you don't want it? Madness.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Manners cost nothing. A bloke barged in front of me this morning whilst waiting for the tube to Canary Wharf, so I looked at him in a very dissaproving manner - suspect he was French, but I have no proof of this.

Ahh rush hour trains and tubes! That's where good manners can go out of the window unless of course a pregnant woman is involved.

 

[Drumstick]

Manners are not hard, but most people either choose not to or forget them! I'm 21 and feel old fashioned! Another one is when crossing a zebra crossing, Not hard to put your hand up and say thanks.

 

[The Spanish]

english people who just eat with a fork and wave it around like f***ing americans. i f***ing HATE that with a passion. not so much disgusting, more they are just disappointingly suggestible idiots who watch to much f***ing telly. they probably say 'can i get' too.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Finish your meal before you leave the table?

WTF.

What if you aren't hungry? You must force it all down you even though you don't want it? Madness.

Well that's the trick ask the child if they have finished and make it clear there can be no return to the table. Then prompt the leaving the table request.

 

[Box of Frogs]

On occasions, my wife or I will drop my daughter and one or two of her friends into town and/or pick them up again later. I am left gobsmacked when said friends (bar one particular girl) say goodbye to my daughter, get out of the car and go off without so much as a thank you!

My kids have always been taught to say please and thank you and as a result, we are always complimented on how polite they are.

Its not just the British either!! We have for many years had foreign student over to stay with us - again, it is staggaring that they are not taught basic manners such as saying please and thank you.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

english people who just eat with a fork and wave it around like f***ing americans. i f***ing HATE that with a passion. not so much disgusting, more they are just disappointingly suggestible idiots who watch to much f***ing telly. they probably say 'can i get' too.

A lot of yanks eat food with their hands quite often vegetables!

 

[Box of Frogs]

Oh, and holding the door open for a female. Am I the only one that does that?? I think I must be judging by the surprised (but pleased) reaction I generally get when doing it.

 

[Box of Frogs]

A lot of yanks eat food with their hands quite often vegetables!

Not all Yanks are vegetables.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Not all Yanks are vegetables.

No not all!