It was Dress up Day at the Atlantic Highlands Recreation Camp this week, and etiquette expert Peeka Tildesley kept second and third grade youngsters laughing, chatting, and remembering where to put their knives and folks when finishing a meal during one of the certified teacher’s classes at the Atlantic Highlands School.
Tildesley, who is a certified etiquette expert after graduating from the American School of Protocol in Atlanta, Georgia, offers one of the unique programs during the six week program sponsored by the Borough and held both indoors and outdoors at the elementary school.
For Dress Up Day, the 144 youngsters in the program came dressed in everything from tutu and lace skirts to fancy red hats and pieces of knight’s armor, one of many activities organized under program director Meg Fischer,
Since it was a dress up day, Fisher opted for an entertaining class for each age group in table manners and daily etiquette. The second and third grade youngsters were in one of he four classes Tildesley gave this week, concentrating on specifics for each age group.
Tildesley, who enjoys the class as much as the youngsters, explained to the second and third graders the importance of proper table manners, encouraging youngsters to offer to set their tables at home for dinner. She explained the importance of proper table settings, the fork to the left, the knife to the right of the plate, it blade always turned inwards so “it doesn’t look like you’re going to attack your dining partner next to you.” She cited seven uses for dinner napkins, as well as several things never to be done with the napkin, and giving the reason why it is important to have the fold of a napkin at the waist when dining.
Once youngsters repeated several rules in poetic form for easier learning and remembrance, she invited them all to sit at the table clothed fully set table to put their lessons to work. Tildesley complimented the youngsters for immediately beginning conversations with their dining partners, noting the importance of casual conversation for enjoyable meals., Using slices of fresh watermelon, the youngsters learned how to slice a steak, a where to put the knife after use, how to handle the knife and fork together, and what to do if a dining partner takes your glass or fork by mistake. The expert also emphasized that cell phones should never be on the table, but could be located discretely nearby should they be necessary for a contact. She demonstrated, and the students responded perfectly, how to eat soup, and noted baseball caps and similar attire are never permitted at the dining table. Nor should purses or any other objects other than napkins and food utensils ever be on the bale, she said.
Tildesley expanded her table etiquette to encourage the youngsters to offer to set their own tables at home, even suggesting simple table centerpiece to make it more attractive.. Showing courtesy and patience,youngsters declined to taste their own ‘steak’ until everyone had been served.
In addition to proper table manners, Tildesley explained to the students the importance of starting each day happily, and thanking family members for anything they had done. She cautioned against overloading a plate at a buffet service, as well as a number of other courtesy habits which make dining experiences more pleasant for everyone,.
Youngsters reacted with cheers, laughter and dutiful remembrance of BMW…Bread, Meal, Water portions of the meal. They asked a series of questions on what to do if others are rude, make foul noises or drop something on the floor.
“I learned how to bend my arm with the soup spoon,” one youngster said, while others said he liked “just seeing where the knife and fork should be and that I shouldn’t make it look like I’m stabbing someone with the knife.”
Tildesley and Director Fischer, who is present for the presentations, also praised the counselors who are in attendance at the session, setting the table, clearing it between ‘courses’ and generally giving assistance to each of the children.
Counselors are present for each of the sessions, generally divided by grades, and keeping the program running timely and smoothly.
Planned for future “special days” during the rest of the season, Fischer said there will be trips to local businesses and demonstrations of various foods created in the borough, including both pizza and coffee grinding.
