Parent to Parent: Table Manners

WSVN -- Getting kids to mind their manners at mealtime can be tough. If you're less than impressed with your child's dinnertime demeanor, why not sign them up for a table manners class?

Christine Curtis: "I think manners really do matter, whether a person is four, whether a person is 34. These are all skills that are important continuously throughout their lives."

Etiquette experts say it's never too early to learn proper manners, but teaching kids does come with its own special challenges.

Christine Curtis: "When teaching children, the big thing is to get them interested in the material, and the way this class is structured, it's interactive, and it's also lecture-based."

In this class, the students are first shown how to set a table, then kids put together their own menus.

Christine Curtis: "What we really focus on is making the program interactive so that it's fun for the children."

11-year-old Katherine is glad her mom signed her up for the class.

Katherine Gross: "When I go out to a restaurant, I don't need to feel nervous about forgetting to put the napkin on my lap, forgetting which fork or knife to use, so, just overall, I think my skills have developed."

And mom couldn't be happier.

Beth Gross: "Sign your kids up because they'll be more comfortable, they'll be more knowledgeable, they'll even teach you a thing or two, and, again, make the experience of eating at home or eating out a dining experience and a family experience too."