Sometimes some of life’s unpleasant little events just happen while you are sitting at the dinner table.  Sometimes you may need to excuse yourself from the table and sometimes you need to say “Excuse me” and move on.

Remove yourself from the table if you need to

• Remove an orthodontic appliance
• Remove something from your teeth
• Blow your nose

When you leave the table, say “Excuse me” and put your napkin on your chair, not on the table.

With a belch, cough, or sneeze, turn you head to the side, cover your mouth or nose with your napkin if you don’t have a tissue, and make as little noise as possible.  Quietly say “Excuse me” and move on.  Little cousin Joey may think that big belch is hysterical, but Great Aunt Mimi will not be amused and neither will you parents.

If you accidentally spill something on the table, apologize and offer to help clean it up.

If you accidentally spill something on someone else, apologize and offer to pay for the cleaning, but don’t touch them or their clothes.

If you need to wipe your own face, use a corner of your napkin and fold it over when you put it back on your lap so the soiled part will not get your clothes dirty and is also not on display for everyone to see.