As soon as the kid ceases to get acquainted with the world by lowering his hands in a mess and for him it becomes a game or fun, one should start with educational activities on the topic: how to behave at the table.
In two or three years, you pay attention to the fact that before eating you need to wash your hands. At the table, explain to the child how to use a fork, spoon, in which hand to hold them. A little later - refer directly to the topic of the culture of behavior. Take care that the child does not crumble bread, did not play with him, chewed with his mouth closed, did not talk while eating with his mouth full.
It is from childhood that we remember the saying: "When I eat, I am deaf and dumb." But eating should not turn into a game in silence: you can speak, but only in the intervals between the absorption of food. If the child does not listen, explain that they will not listen to their mouthfuls. The topic of conversation should be given special attention. Do not talk both with the child and with each other in the family about the diseases at the table, stop the clarification of the relationship between family members, do not remember the "nasty" things that may not spoil the child's appetite, but obviously will not go for the benefit of his upbringing. Concentrate your child's attention on the taste characteristics of this or that product, so that he can recognize the tastes for sure and know: how it is salty, sweet, sour, etc. You can turn learning into a game "What is this taste? ".
Often children are capricious at the table, break out. The fact is that they have low assiduity, they can not focus attention on one lesson for more than 15 minutes. Therefore, they can simply bother the process itself, or the child can already eat (after all, often before the main meal parents give a "snack", so the child may not get hungry enough).
Since the age of four, educational activities may include the instruction to keep the cutlery correctly, to take some food at a time. Having learned to keep the cutlery, it is necessary to switch to self-feeding. After that, parents do not go to the arrangements "Feed me! ", Since the child is already an adult and can himself. Immediately need to show how to behave with the cutlery: how to put a spoon in your mouth, take it out (so that the child does not chatter, does not cham, does not tap the appliance on his teeth). At the same age, you can show how to eat with a knife and fork. In this case, think about security.
When the child is already going to school, he should already behave calmly, be able to follow the posture while eating, quietly eat, do not put elbows on the table. Legs should not hang under the table, be crossed (this also affects the posture).
Remarks should be reported, reinforced with living examples, images of fairy-tale heroes (Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh). Do not teach the child to blind faith in "so necessary", "so accepted" - it can someday play a cruel joke with you. Even if the cry is broken, calm down and explain the meaning of the action.
Educational activities on the theme of etiquette at the table are not limited to a culture of behavior during a meal. That in the future there were no problems, involve the child to lay on a table, clean after itself after meal. At first let him at least deliver the plate to the washstand, at the age of five and six, you can instruct the child to wash the dishes. Let him not immediately get it, have to wash after him, but necessarily tactfully pointing out the shortcomings, so that next time he tried better.
If he needs something to convey, do not let him stretch, but politely ask (using, of course, the "magic" word "please"). At the table, too, you should not take food from a neighboring plate, rush to grab the biggest piece. And when something did not work out, or broke out (hiccough or belch), make me apologize. After a meal, teach the child to thank.
Parents also need to develop aesthetic feelings in the child. The food is served nicely laid out, put the spoon in the general dishes (so as not to get into each of them with your appliance). Do not eat from pots or pans, standing, on the go. If you do not want the child to eat in the room, do not set an example and never feed it there. Do not eat with the TV on! At the table, the child's attention should be focused on food. If he is capricious, does not want to eat, do not scold him, but just set aside the plate. It seems to you that he has not ate - next meal start earlier. Do not go on an occasion when the child frankly sorts through food. You need to eat everything that is served, and separately cook for indulgence whims to anything good will not.
Undoubtedly, all educational activities should be confirmed by their own example. Watch your manners of behavior, because tedious stories are nothing compared to the "picture", because children copy the behavior of parents to the smallest detail. You need to conduct yourself at the table the way you would like the child to behave, and to conduct educational activities gradually, with love and boundless patience.