A simple way to teach your child how to set a table
Recently, I was in charge of hosting a dinner for a large group of women at church and while I was working on things in the kitchen, someone else set all the tables.When I came out to check on things, I realized that the place settings at all 7 tables had been set incorrectly, with the silverware, cups, and napkins placed in the wrong spots.
Fortunately, the person who had set the table went to work on something else in another room and I slipped in and quickly fixed all the place settings. I didn’t want 50 people showing up and thinking I had no idea how to set a table.
Plus, since I learned early on in life the proper table setting, it is terribly grating to look at a place setting that’s wrong.
Afterward, I came home and immediately reviewed with my girls how a basic table setting should look.
My dad taught her a fun little story to remember how to properly set a table and I thought I’d share here.
Then your children will never have someone following behind them rearranging their table-setting job.
How to set a table
You have the fork on the left. It’s a wolf (see those sharp tine teeth?). It lives at the foot of the mountains. The napkin is the mountain.
On the right side of the plate you have a shepherd and a sheep. The shepherd stands between the wolf and the sheep to protect it. The knife is the shepherd’s staff and the blade side points toward the wolf, since it’s the dangerous thing.
The spoon is the helpless sheep and both the sheep and the shepherd gather near the watering hole, which is the glass.
See? Easy peasy!
One life skill down, ten million to go.
And the plate can be the lake the shepherd makes sure is between the sheep and the wolf? That's a cool memory trick.
Confession: I never knew how to set a table until I met my husband. He taught me. Guess my mom didn't worry too much about the order in which things were put on the table, as long as someone else took care of it while she made dinner.
I was horrified that Bryan didn't know how to correctly set the table but then one day at his parents' house I realized his mom doesn't set it correctly either- must never have been a priority for her. But you better believe my girls will learn to do it the right way- drives my crazy when it's not!!!
It always bugs me, too. In my head I sing, "Forks on the left, forks on the left" (from an old movie–You Can't Take it with You). I love the little story, though. What a great way to teach kids (and adults)!
Clever idea! Thanls for sharing.
I'd take a story that would make my kids to even be inclined to help do a job. I'd even give them a pass on doing it incorrectly if they would just do it ;). And no matter how many times I recite this. . .
"I love you, Mother," said little John.
Then forgetting his work, his cap went on.
And he was off to the garden swing,
Leaving his Mother the wood to bring.
"I love you, Mother," said little Nell.
"I love you more than tongue can tell."
"Then she teased and pouted half the day,
Till Mother rejoiced when she went to play.
"I love you, Mother," said little Fan.
"Today I’ll help you all I can."
To the cradle then she did softly creep,
And rocked the baby till it fell asleep.
Then stepping softly, she took the broom,
And swept the floor, and dusted the room.Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and cheerful as child could be.
"I love you, Mother," again they said.
Three little children, going to bed.
How do you think that Mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?
I still get no results. Parenting. What a beast.
That's such a cute idea!
I never could remember what goes where until I learned that f-o-r-k has 4 letters, like l-e-f-t, and k-n-i-f-e and s-p-o-o-n have 5 letters like r-i-g-h-t.
I never could remember what goes where until I learned that f-o-r-k has 4 letters, like l-e-f-t, and k-n-i-f-e and s-p-o-o-n have 5 letters like r-i-g-h-t.
That is so stinking cute, I'll use it to teach my kids!
how cute is this?
What a darling and clever story.
Ha I love this! I actually worked in a restaurant for 5 years during high school and before I left for college as busser, and I always put the knife facing the wrong way and it drove the waiters crazy, I've officially vowed since leaving to not do that again, and now it drives me nuts seeing a knife the wrong way!
That's clever, I like that. I unfortunately have to follow behind my husband- he always puts the forks on the wrong side and just couldn't give a darn.
I have been working with Ike on this for a while, but I still haven't bothered to tell him the story. Just now I found an image online, and I printed it.
What is surprising to me is that nobody mentioned that you are wrong in the comments. (I don't think you are wrong. This is how I believe the table should be set.) Growing up, though, I had friends with many different opinions about how to set the table. It is common in the South to put all the utensils on the left side. I'm just surprised that nobody said anything like, "That is totally not how we set the table or how I was taught to do it."
THANK YOU. My husband doesn’t know the right way to do it either and it drives me nuts. Most of the time, we don’t bother and just get the utensils needed for that meal. But, I always want someone else to set the table while I’m cooking at Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., and I end up redoing their work. Which makes me crazy and look even crazier.