Are your children like this? Were you?

[oggbashan]

Table Etiquette for Children by Elinor Ames

“Donald is going to play the piano for his mother’s guests after dinner. He likes to play and is looking forward to it as he finishes eating. The finger bowls have been passed and Donald dips his fingers in, one hand at a time, and then dries them on his napkin. When everyone else has finished, his mother will rise and Donald will leave the table with the guests and go to the living room to play the piano.”

The picture shows that Donald is about five years old.


What did I do wrong? I don’t have any finger bowls.

Can you guess the date of this US publication ‘Created by Columbia Educational Books, Inc.’?

Og

 

[Guest]

Yeah, my eldest daughter is just like that. She's a precocious little madam, but loved by all.

Was I like that? Only a bit.

My youngest isn't like that at all, but she's got a wicked sense of humour. Food fight every tea time.

I was a lot more like her.

Um, yeah, anyway, the date of the publication? 1972.

Lou

 

[cloudy]

Are my children like that? Not a chance in hell! Original Wild Bunch....that's mine. My daughter's a tad diva-ish at times, but she'll scrap with the best of them.

Me? I was the fourth of five kids, and we always had stray kids living with us, so....no. It was more like a frat party at my house than the Brady Bunch. We were well-behaved, in general, but I can't see fingerbowls being used.....they would have ended up broken way too quickly.

I'd have to guess the year of publication around...hmmm - 1953.

 

[oggbashan]

More...

"Usually Helen stays at the table until everyone has finished eating. Sometimes, however, the grown-ups like to take a long time at the table talking while they drink their coffee. In this case Helen always says, 'May I be excused, please?' and waits until her mother answers before she leaves. Of course, Helen always leaves her knife anf fork neatly placed on her plate and her napkin folded."

Helen's picture shows her to be about three, with Shirley Temple ringlets.

Og

Any many guesses at the date?

 

[Guest]

I'm off out now, to watch my eldest daughter perform in a concert. She's doing a solo on the piano, as well as singing (seriously!). She will have brushed her hair beforehand, washed her face and hands seven times and checked to make sure her ankle socks are level, before she meets her public. Yes, she's that bad. She's 8 years old.

My youngest daughter isn't in it. She'll be sitting in the audience with me, probably doing a bit of heckling and if she's really on a roll, she'll throw things at her sister.

Lou - proud Mum (I love them both to bits - vive la difference!)

 

[Liar]

Re: More...

Any many guesses at the date?

Just for the fuck of it: 2001

 

[CharleyH]

Um, is there something wrong with this?

Always had finger bowls with ribs or finger foods, and always asked to be excused after setting knife and fork parallel on the plate, but then I come from a family of restauranteurs, so that may affect my table manners.

 

[oggbashan]

More about Donald

"After playing ball all morning, Donald is very hungry. Like most boys, he can hardly wait to eat. But he remembers that while he was playing his mother was in the kitchen - cooking his luncheon. He knows that she must be tired and hungry also. Before he sits down at the table he naturally thinks of her. He pulls out the chair at his mother's place to make it easier for her to sit down."

Og

 

[Liar]

Yeah. Finger bowls were mandatory at family dinners when I was a kid. They're still a nice touch, depending on what food you have. I was good at using them too, since I absolutely hated to have food-stains.

They were fun on others though, and I really enjoyed causing them.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Are these the kids from the Village of the Damned or are you making this up?

 

[cloudy]

My mother didn't even get her china out of the cupboard except at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, of course, the kids were banished to the "kid's table" then.

It's fun reading about all these civilized folks though.

 

[Guest]

I dont know but im guessing somewhere around the 1930's.. Emily Post was popular with her edicts.. then there was amy vanderbilt(sp) what a lemming!

so thats my guess.. 1930's-ish

 

[oggbashan]

Ronnie is always a good sport.

These are captions to a cartoon strip in the centre pages:

"Ronnie has lots of friends because he is a good sport."

"He doesn't feel like playing basketball, but the others do, so Ronnie joins them"

"If a teammate fumbles and loses a score, Ronnie doesn't get angry. Anyone can make a mistake."

"If Ronnie disagrees with the umpire, he doesn't argue but accepts the decision."

"After the game, Ronnie congratulates the other team and leaves for home."

"He's a good sport at meals too, and never complains if his favorite dish isn't served. Instead he eats what is set before him just as the others do."


No. I'm not making this up. I quoted the source in the first post.

Og

 

[cantdog]

1947.

Is it a pool? No, wait, we're not really here. Never mind.

Congratulations on "Brigit," Og.

à propos, I tried to place my story with its alphabetical might, with "40 Days of the Weasel" but the site Englished it to "Forty...". You have to try.

 

[Guest]

Og..

do you remember the primers for learning to read?
see jane run. run, jane, run.

smacks of the fifties..

 

[cantdog]

now that you're on record

Now that you're committed to your answer, Google it.

Surprising.


cantdog

 

[oggbashan]

Back cover.

Is your mother proud of you?

Of course, you want her to be. And she will be, too, if your are thoughtful and always remember to be considerate of others at the table and elsewhere. That's all it requires to have good manners no matter where you are. If you remember that, your mother will always be proud of you and everyone will like you and think she is lucky to have such children.

A clue to the date:

Dad doesn't appear in any of the posed pictures, and only occasionally in the cartoon strips.

Og

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I'm guessing the date is just post WWII. You didn't mention it, but I'm assuming that all the kids in the illustrations are WASP? They all have WASPy names. Is this British or American? American, right? (basketball). Mom's not working, so I'm guessing after the war.

Personally, I never understood what good finger bowls did. If I'm having ribs or barbecued chicken, I usually need industrial-strength soap and a fire hose. I used to go to a rib place that actually had an antique bathtub set up on blocks where you could go and wash your hands and face. We get into it here.

---dr.M.

Edited to add: Looked it up. Whoa! That is a shocker! How did it sell, I wonder?

 

[oggbashan]

All WASP.

Published by Consolidated Book Publishers, Inc., 135 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 'Printed in the U.S.A.'

Og

 

[oggbashan]

And the date is...

1942.

The meat portions on the chidren's plates equal a week's rations for a UK adult at that time.

Og

 

[magicalmouse]

After shouting loudly several times that dinner is ready, there is a slight chance that both of my boys might sit at the table without a bribe being involved. Swap the piano recital for new moves they've learnt on the wrestling game they're addicted to on the play station... finger bowls?? My youngest would drink it and flick the lemon wedge at his brother.

I've only ever insisted that they sit at the table at meal times, and stay there until i say it's ok to move.

Those other kids sound very strange, do they really exist??

 

[oggbashan]

Those other kids sound very strange, do they really exist??

I think their mother was the model for the Stepford Wives.

Og

 

[Guest]

My brothers and I always asked to be excused from the table, but we ate with tortillas (vs. utensils, Mexican thing) unless my mom was experimenting with gringo recipes.

Perdita

 

[oggbashan]

I regret to admit that I was brought up by those rules.

Didn't have to play the piano. My instrument of torture was the violin until my absolute incapacity was manifestly evident. Then my party piece was recitation with actions.

I did a mean 'The Boy Stood On The Burning Deck', or 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

Og

PS. I (age 9) remember handing round snacks at my parents cocktail parties. I had to offer them to the Admiral's wife first because she was the Senior Lady unless the Governor was present. (Royal Navy is the UK's Senior Service followed by Army then the upstart Royal Air Force).

 

[destinie21]

I thought the title of this thread read "Are your children like you." Scared the bejesus out of me.