Table manners are something that seems to be going out of fashion these days, perhaps it is because many of us don't eat at the table any more. I think this is very sad. The old saying ‛families who eat together stay together' is true, because meal times should be a time for communication and discussion - whether it is about world affairs, general chit chat or what has happened at school that day.

The word ‛respect' is now almost a clich√© because very few people have it for anyone or anything. But I come from a generation where we were taught respect for those in authority and the classroom or the playground were not the often violent and frightening places they are sometimes today because we knew we would get disciplined by our teachers if we behaved in an anti social way.

When I was young we automatically called any adult Mr, Mrs or Miss (or by their title) unless they were relations, god parents or very close friends - then it was ‛Auntie or Uncle.'

With the excitement of Christmas on the horizon, it is important to think about those all important ‛Thank You Letters' and how you are going to get your children to write them!

Teaching children manners takes time and energy and having been a working mother myself, I know how hard it is when you are dog tired after work to get the balance between discipline and affection right.