Are all kids messy AF with no table manners?

[kyle1985]

Guys serious question because I only have a baby boy and toddler girl. Are all kids super messy at the table and spill on chairs and the floor every single meal?!? Ages 11-4. All the same

When I was a kid I feel like my parents taught me to eat over my plate. Sit on my bottom. Don’t eat with my fingers. Use a fork. Pull my seat in. Don’t play w your food. The list goes on.

I feel like my family’s kids don’t have these same rules because other kids come over and don’t spill legit every meal? It’s not the youngest either it’s the whole clan- anything goes - no rules on how to eat like old school table etiquette.

I truly don’t know because I don’t have kids of my own at that age to gauge the level of messy.

Second question, when do you train your kid not to put their hands on a glass door? I feel like 3-4? If a 10 year old is putting their hands and mouth on a door as a joke is he too old? When is too young to start expecting this habit?

Obviously with my daughter I already teach her not to do this at 1.5 years old but other kids- genuinely curious. Thanks!

 

[katrina2017]

@kyle1985 I hold firm boundaries around food and eating w my 2.5, and while he would like to be allowed to be super messy, he is not.

 

[sabsu]

@kyle1985 I feel like 6 is an appropriate age to discuss table manners. They can understand and their coordination is far more developed.

Any age above that should be able to show a decent level of table manners. However, everyone spills food.

As for the glass door? My MIL (67) is still trying to get FIL (73) and fiancé (42) to stop putting fingerprints on the glass mirror cupboard in their bathroom. She's got OCD (and a host of other mental health issues). Personally, it really isn't an issue in my book. It can be cleaned.

I would however be concerned about the safety of having a glass door and kids around. Accidents happen. Accidents + kids + glass = disaster waiting to happen. I'd be a bit nervous with it there.

 

[justmejoe]

@kyle1985 My son has decent table manners for a three year old. I’ve encouraged it since he was tiny.

 

[kyle1985]

@justmejoe Me too- same with my daughter - I’m already teaching! I think it must be the lack of table manners

 

[sabsu]

@kyle1985 I feel like 6 is an appropriate age to discuss table manners. They can understand and their coordination is far more developed.

Any age above that should be able to show a decent level of table manners. However, everyone spills food.

As for the glass door? My MIL (67) is still trying to get FIL (73) and fiancé (42) to stop putting fingerprints on the glass mirror cupboard in their bathroom. She's got OCD (and a host of other mental health issues). Personally, it really isn't an issue in my book. It can be cleaned.

I would however be concerned about the safety of having a glass door and kids around. Accidents happen. Accidents + kids + glass = disaster waiting to happen. I'd be a bit nervous with it there.