: The Story of Lydia Manners : Teaches everyday life skills, Making Your Bed, Shoveling Snow, Helping in the Kitchen, Table Setting, Table Manners and more. :

LYDIA MANNERS

HELPING AROUND THE HOUSE

Hi! It is great to have you visiting with us. As you know, Lydia was a schoolteacher and she was respected as one of the greatest teachers in the Kingdom of Denmark. Her specialty was Home Economics. The students all loved her because they always learned so much.

We are sure that Lydia would want to share her knowledge and some useful tips that will be most helpful on your life’s journey.

We have selected a number of topics that you’ll find most useful now, and in the future!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Here are some tips on how to help Mom and Dad out around the house.

MAKING YOUR BED

Making your bed is easy. It can be done in three simple steps!

Step 1 - The bottom sheet:

This is the sheet that you lay on when you’re sleeping. If the sheet is fitted, simply slip the corners of the sheet over each corner of the bed. If your sheet is not fitted, start by unfolding the sheet so that it covers the whole bed evenly. Once unfolded, lift up the mattress at the end of the bed and tuck in the sheet leaving the corners out. Make your way to the head of the bed. Pull the sheet so that it’s nice and tight and then tuck, once again leaving the corners out. Now, tuck the sheet under both sides of the bed making sure the sheet is smooth on top. Doing this will create a triangular shape at the corners of the bed. Tuck the corners in so they are nice and tight and there you go!

Step 2 - The top sheet:

The top sheet is applied to the bed the exact same way the non-fitted sheet is in step one. The only difference is you don’t tuck in your sheet at the head of the bed. This allows you to climb in easily when it’s time for bed.

Step 3 - The Comforter:

Once you have put the top and bottom sheet on the bed, you can put your comforter on the bed. Your comforter is that big squishy soft blanket that goes on the very top of your bed and keeps you warm at night.

SHOVELING SNOW

In the wintertime, it is always nice to help out seniors and grown ups by shoveling the snow off the driveway and sidewalks. Keeping these areas clean helps to prevent accidents from happening such as slipping and falling.

Here are some heplful tips when shoveling snow!

Step 1 - Pick a shovel that is right for your size.

Using a shovel that is too large and heavy, can sometimes lead to achy muscles. Choose one that is easy for you to handle.

Step 2 - Make sure that you are well hydrated.

Being hydrated simply means you have the right amount of water in your body to prevent you from feeling faint when being active. Since Shoveling snow is like exercising, it is best to stay hydrated. Have a bottle of water near by just in case you get thirsty.

Step 3 - Start shoveling

When lifting the snow, do so with your legs. This way you don’t accidentally hurt your back.

Bonus!
Once you learn the art of shoveling snow, it’s a great way to make some extra money. Maybe your neighbors would appreciate paying you a small amount to keep their driveway and sidewalks clear. What a great way to do a good deed for someone else or make some extra money … imagine getting paid for exercise!

HELPING OUT IN THE KITCHEN

Eating dinner with the family gives everyone a chance to discuss their day. Since everyone helps eat the dinner, it is nice to help make the dinner once and a while. Your parents will really appreciate your effort and you can learn a lot about preparing meals.

Here are some cooking terms you can use while assisting mom and dad.

Pinch
A pinch is a small amount of sugar or salt that you grab when “pinching” with your thumb and index finger.

Example: “For extra flavor, I usually add a pinch of salt to my pasta sauce.”

Garnish
This is a decorative, edible ingredient that is usually placed on the top or the side of a dish.

Example: “That cherry tomato would be a nice garnish on your bowl of pasta.”

Entrée
An entrée refers to the main course of a meal.

Example: “This salad is a delicious appetizer, but I can’t wait for my entrée to arrive.”

Marinate
To soak food in a liquid, which ultimately adds flavor to a piece of meat, fish etc. and is often used to tenderize the food.

Example: “I marinated the steaks in barbeque sauce for several hours before I cooked them … they were delicious!”

Bake
To bake is to cook in the oven.

Example: “Grandma is going to bake a batch of cookies for my school fundraiser.”

Broil
To broil is to cook something under direct light and direct heat.

Example: “Tonight we are going to broil the chicken because I am tired of fried foods.”

Teaspoon
A teaspoon is a small spoon used for stirring and measuring ingredients.

Example: “My Grandma likes a teaspoon of sugar in her tea while my Grandpa likes one-half teaspoon of sugar in his tea, and I prefer no sugar in my tea.”

Tablespoon
A tablespoon is 3 times larger than a teaspoon spoon and is used for serving food as well as measuring ingredients.

Example: “Let’s use a tablespoon to serve the rice with dinner.”

Setting the Table

Like making your bed, learning to set a dinner table is just as important. When a dinner table is properly set it really says a lot about the person. It demonstrates maturity, cleanliness and elegance.

Generally there are two ways to set a dinner table. There is a formal way and a casual way.

Formal Dinner Place Setting
A formal dinner table is set as follows:

Left of the Dinner Plate (outside in): Napkin, Salad Fork, Dinner Fork
Center: Dinner Plate, Salad Plate is on top
Right of the Dinner Plate (outside in): Soup Spoon, Dinner Knife, Tea Spoon is optional.
Top Left: Bread and Butter Plate with Butter Knife lying across the Plate.
Top Right: Large Water Glass, Red Wine Glass, White Wine Glass
Above Dinner Plate: Dessert Spoon and Dessert Fork

Casual Dinner Place Setting
A casual dinner table is set as follows:

Left of the Dinner Plate (outside in): Napkin, Salad Fork, Dinner Fork
Center: Dinner Plate
Right of the Dinner Plate (outside in): Soup Spoon, Dinner Knife
Top Right: Large Water/Soda Glass, Small Wine Glass

Table Manners

In today’s age, it seems like many people have forgotten or don’t know about proper table etiquette, perhaps that’s because they are always on the run eating fast food. Below are some helpful tips to use while dining that represents sophistication, worldliness and social grace within a person.

1. Always eat with your utensils unless the meal calls for it.
2. Say "Thank You" when someone serves you something or passes you something during your meal.
3. When food gets on your mouth or face, be sure to use a napkin to wipe it off.
4. When there is something you want that is out of reach be sure to ask someone to kindly pass it to you,
because reaching for it might cause something to spill.
5. Use an calm indoor voice while having conversations
6. Don’t speak while chewing your food - always chew your food with your mouth closed.
7. If food gets stuck in your teeth, don’t pick at it. Excuse yourself from the table first.
8. Never play around with the utensils that are given to you.
9. When a lady enters the room, the polite thing to do is stand up.
10. When a lady stands from the table, the polite thing to do is stand up.