Thunk!

Debi

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As I was growing up, my mom used those wooden spoons to get our attention!
When my kids were growing up, if my husband saw elbows on the table they'd get a thunk from his fork!
Are you a utensil survivor?
What other meal-related rules or alternate use of utensils were in your family?

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My mother used the pancake spatula! And the table rules were enforced by a slightly dampened dishtowel, wielded by my father. He would snap it at us, and since there were eight children around the table, his reach was incredible. :D
 
I don't remember any kitchen utensils except our neighbor. We saw their mom chasing them around with a giant wooden spoon (the boys were football player size) lol. The only utensil in our house was the belt or backhand. You did not ever talk at the dinner table. Fun times.
 
I somehow only had to do "The Look". Usually stopped anything going on. Hubs had his fork ready to roll and I think they knew if they got The Look and ignored it that dad would do a follow up with the fork thump.
The Look has served me well in many a situation with adults. In extreme cases with the word 'stop'. In a rare crisis followed up with a quiet 'Now.'. Less is more.
 
Only with my maternal grandparents: 'Elbows off the table!' and we had to say 'Please may I leave the table,' before leaving it. The threat was 'the stick' which was never used. It was the 80s and much like nukes.
 
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Mum was fond of coat hangers and we always deserved it but she was a great mum to me and my brother. My youngest daughter had a habit of stealing chips and baked potatoes off my plate and a fork across the knuckles was a regular from me. Don't touch my dinner :mad::D.
 
Only with my maternal grandparents: 'Elbows off the table!' and we had to say 'Please may I leave the table,' before leaving it. The threat was 'the stick' which was never used. It was the 80s and much like nukes.
They would never had threatened us with with utensils as anything other than correct use of those would result in my grandma glaring (the look) and saying 'germs', so she would never do that herself. Everything in its right place. My brother and I did have some plastic toy spoons and saucepans and did slapstick it up to make up for it if that it helps.
 
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