We were talking about this very thing earlier.
My great-nephew is now about 5 or 6 and I’ve never seen him use a knife and fork to eat.
My parents brought my brothers and I up with SERIOUS table manners. Any infringement and the fork in the back of our child-hands was the punishment.
Harsh – yes. My kids would NEVER (and HAVE NEVER) known that kind of BS. But they have SERIOUS table manners.
Until not so long ago they still always thanked me for their meal and then politely asked if they could “get down.”
Please may I get down from the table?
They KNOW that it is the height of bad manners to leave a table of diners without excusing themselves.
But. Way before they were born. Suddenly. EVERYTHING CHANGED.
Tables and dishes and cutlery and family were no longer either needed or wanted.
ENTER Ronald McDonald from across the pond.
FACT!