Parents-do you require your children to take their plates to the kitchen when fi

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   Denise Handlonposted 11 years ago

   Parents-do you require your children to take their plates to the kitchen when finished eating?
   
   Some parents pick the dishes up from the table; other parents teach their children at a young age to bring their dish to the kitchen, what do you do in your home?

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   pippapposted 11 years ago

   My children have both left home now; but, they used to carry their plates to the kitchen themselves.

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks pip pap.  Mine did too, at an early age, as do my grandkids-youngest being 4.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   It depended on the kind of meal, the age of the kids, and sometimes the circumstances.   
   
   There were snacks at the table, individual meals someone may have at the table (like one kid eating breakfast when the other had gone to school earlier), and sit-down/family dinners and holiday dinners.
   
   I taught them when they were toddlers that trash from meals/snacks always goes in the trash.  When they were little enough I'd get the plate.  When they were still fairly young they just automatically scraped and rinsed the dish and put it in the sink or dishwasher.  (Learned by example I, guess.)  I let everyone know that I wanted to wash the dishes, but washing a couple/few plates wasn't a big deal (and I didn't trust the cleanliness and soap-residue-less-ness" trusted to children).  One thing they would do when they were young-but-not-young-preschoolers was to leave the small, disposable, cups we used for between-meal drinks on the kitchen table.  They'd get rid of the rest of their snack or eaten-alone meal and leave a Dixie cup with, for example, juice in it on the table.  They did that with the idea that they're come back for the juice in a little while, or they'd sometimes leave empties with the idea that they'd come back to use it again.  (They'd already heard, "Let's not go through them like water," so they'd learned that much.)
   
   With sit-down nightly dinner/holiday dinner, most often I didn't want them doing more than, maybe, getting rid of their paper napkin.  More formal/formal-ish dinners, to me, require one person to kind of be in charge of the table clean-up and leftover "management".  I suppose, at the back of my mind, I thought kids also need to learn how to just sit in and have a formal dinner without "everybody getting up and being a busy crowd" in the kitchen.  So with sit-down dinners, some kids (I only have three) would bring their plate out.  Others may.  It all "just depended".
   
   After all awhile everyone got old enough to feel uncomfortable about leaving dirty dishes "for Mum", so they'd all just bring them out.  THAT, though, was when I often had to "un-teach" people that sometimes (especially holidays) I preferred that everyone just leave their dish, so I could "factor it into" the overall dish-clean-up effort and system I have in place (as that "one person in charge of the clean-up effort").  Somewhere along the way they just grew up to be people who wash their own dishes unless they're asked not to. 
   
   No "formal" teaching, though.

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Lisa for your thorough answer. 

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   dghbrhposted 11 years ago

   My son is going to be 12 this 21st nov. We taught him to carry his plates to kitchen after he is done. Its a small way towards teaching him to do his won works as far as possible. Now he helps me with washing dishes as well and cleaning the dining table. Thanks

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, it is so important for children to participate in home duties.  It teaches responsibility and that what they do is an important contribution to the running of the household.    Thanks.

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   Ruchiraposted 11 years ago

   Pick up the dishes and rinse the. And put in the dishwasher

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Very good, Ruchira.  That's the way to train them to be responsible.    Thanks.

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   yourdecisionposted 11 years ago

   Depends on the plate I would say. If it's breakable I would pick it up myself, until they are old enough to be careful without me having to tell them to. If it's a plastic though, then I would require them to throw it away. Who am I kidding? My plates are everywhere, until it's time to do dish washing.

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      LOL    I love your honesty.  Hahaha.    Thanks for answering.

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      yourdecisionposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, One can't deny himself forever. Can he?

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   grow in charityposted 11 years ago

   I do. We Pray before we eat, we talk about our day at the dinner table, and they ask to be excused. They take their plates to the kitchen. My children are 5 and 6. I think that starting the manners early will help them to form good habits for the future. I think it is nice to be at another persons house and have my child ask, "My I be excused?" and offer to clear the table. Children can never go wrong using manners, also, it teaches them the value of serving others when they help out.

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Wonderful job grow in charity.  That is an important teaching as a parent.  Thanks for your input.  (my grandkids are 4 & 5 and do this as well.)

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   geetbhimposted 11 years ago

   I do expect from my children to pick up the plate from dinning table and put it on the sink.

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks geetbhim, for your comment. 

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   samnashyposted 11 years ago

   Most of the time. The youngest are 5 and 6 years old.  They need a bit of prompting (especially the boy).  As much as I love them, I do not want to wait on them hand and foot.  As they get older I will introduce a few more chores into their daily lives, without over burdening them.  My 21 year old son still does his chores when he comes home from Uni, although he does try to get away with it for the first few days as he knows he can )

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      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your input, samnashy. 

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    J. Biazaposted 11 years ago

    Yes, responsibility starts early.  Respect starts early.  Heck, setting the table was also done by the kids.  Meal time is family time. all in...

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I agree!  Good points, J.  Thanks!

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    Mary Merrimentposted 11 years ago

    Yes. I believe it's important for kids to clean up after themselves. It may seem like a small task, but overall, it helps out in a big way. With any luck, it will also promote good habits for when they get their own place. Ultimately, over the course of their childhood years, we are slowly, but surely preparing them for their own adult lives.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I agree...very important.  Thanks!

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    Bettyoverstreet10posted 11 years ago

    May I answer as a grand mother? When young children are eating at my home I prefer their parent to take care of their dishes. I cringe when a child is told to put thier dish in the sink, which is too high and means they will probably drop it into the sink to be broken.  Of course, at my own home when I was raising my children, I taught them to help clean off the table after a meal when they were tall enough to reach the cabinets.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Betty, for your input.

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    snapbackbettyposted 11 years ago

    Yes and I also get them to clean the spot where they were sitting such as wipe the table and pick up anything big that may have been dropped on the floor. I think it helps them to be responsible for themselves and it also helps them learn to clean for when they have to be the one who cleans the kitchen.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That's true, thanks for your comments.

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    Glimmer Twin Fanposted 11 years ago

    It depends on the dinner and honestly, my mood.  My daughter usually does it, but if she does not then I either remind her or just bring it in when I take mine in.  She does other things like set the table and carry food out.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Glimmer, for your input. 

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    Millionaire Tipsposted 11 years ago

    My daughter was taught to pick up her own plate and take it to the kitchen.  I was taught to pick up my own plate and the plates of those around me as well. Everyone should do their share. It is a great learning opportunity, and all the burden isn't left to the parents.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks-I agree...kids need to learn that their participation counts.  Thanks for your comments.

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    peachpurpleposted 11 years ago

    Yes, i taught my kids to put their plates in the kitchen after their meal are finished but they don't do it every time. Sometimes, they give excuses and rush upstairs and quickly say "Thank you, mommy! I love you!" before I could say anything.

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       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That's funny!  Thanks peachpurple for your response. 

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    Jools99posted 11 years ago

    Yes Denise, I request it but it is often completely ignored.  I wish that I had demanded it from my daughter from an earlier age and by now, she would be used to it!  I believe she may be getting lazier as she gets older so I better stay fit!

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