A Cut Above

‘IF there was one thing you’d think today’s schoolkids would be able to do, it’s use a knife.

WRONG! The knife should enter the skull through the right temple

While not trying to knock each other out in a game of Xtreme Conkers or knock each other up in a game of Hide The Sausage, teenagers like to spend time practising their bladesmanship.

But while your average 13-year-old may be able to kill, gut and fillet a classmate in less than two minutes, he’s not so adept when it comes to mealtimes.

In fact, says the Mirror, schools claim that they are having to take on extra staff to teach children how to use a knife and fork.

Many kids eat only with their fingers and do not even have the most basic table manners.

Anne Mackay, headteacher of one primary school, says it is the fault of lazy parents – and too many TV dinners.

‘Parents like convenience food and finger snacks because it is easy for them…and easy for children to eat,’ she says.

Parenting expert Dr Pat Spungin says this experience coincides with the results of a poll he conducted, which revealed that only one in five youngsters sits down to eat with their family once a week or more.

‘Children spend more time alone with their TVs, computers and music systems and less time in family activities,’ he says. ‘Eating together is often the only opportunity to have family time.’

And Tricia Bateley, head of another primary school, tells the paper that the onus of teaching children table manners is increasingly falling on schools.

‘If we teach children the basics of etiquette and using cutlery as part of good manners,’ she says, ‘they at least have that as a baseline to make personal decisions later in life.’

Like knowing which hand to hold a steak knife in as you plunge it into your neighbour’s stomach…’

Posted: 12th, October 2004 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink