March 2, 2019

My child sucks his thumb. Should I stop him?

People’s reactions vary when they see a child sucking his thumb. Some feel strongly that it’s good for him to fulfill his own needs this way, […]
March 2, 2019

Why is it considered crude to eat with your elbows on the table?

This rule goes back to medieval times, when diners eat shoulder-to-shoulder at narrow feasting tables with no elbow room to spare. Imagine a big old medieval […]
March 2, 2019

Why is it considered crude to read at the table?

Dinnertime is also meeting time for most families, when everyone can discuss the day without smartphones and laptop screens getting in the way. Phones and other […]
March 2, 2019

Why is it considered crude to reach across the table?

Stretching your arm in front of neighbors at the table disrupts their meals – and is a good way to accidentally upend the gravy boat. It […]