As a youngster, did you set the table for Mom?

No paper plates then, the kitchen table needed plates,silverware,drinking glass,for each person, plus-butter, salt and pepper,bowl if having soup or chili and a saucer with about 5 slices of bread on it. Of course I spilled my milk every day.

Yes, I think I was the only one who ever did out of my brothers and sister (4). That and washing/drying dishes and vacuuming.

One day I got sick of always being the only one to help mum. I took the knifes and forks and plates to the table and put them there in groups of forks here, knives there and all the plates in another corner. "there you go", I said, "I have set the table ! ". I was about 11 years old.

Yes, sometimes. I remember one night I was having a school friend over for dinner with my family. Mom fixed a big green salad and there were 3 different bottles of salad dressings on the table. To be "helpful", so I thought, I loosened the tops of the bottles. not thinking that we will be shaking the bottle to mix the ingredients. After we all sat down and said prayer, I picked up the "red colored" dressing bottle and shook it as the whole room and myself got covered in it. It was embarrassing in front of my school friend, but everyone laughed and I tried to make a joke by saying, "I am a Russian Dressing"......I still helped with the table once in a while, but wasn't in charge of the salad dressings anymore.

No. Never. Mom worked afternoon/evening shift, and wasn't even home. Her sister used to take care of us. Both Mom and her sis were too impatient to allow a child to do things such as set the table. Much faster to do it themselves, and keep us kids out of the kitchen until the meal was ready to eat.

Of course, they weren't too impatient to allow the kids to wash the dishes. I learned table settings in Home Ec in high school.

I set the table for the family. My "mom" was not a cook or pleasant woman. Setting the table was a chore and if not done correctly we were punished. To this day I still have memories of the "wonderful" meals we had at that table after being slapped for putting the spoons in the wrong place.

yes, my sister and I set the table for dinner every single day. Besides the butter, salt, pepper, and bread, we also had a large bowl of raw carrots and celery for every dinner. We used paper napkins that we folded beside each plate.

i don't think families do that anymore, pity.

Yes, and we actually sat at the table to eat.
We got "T.V. tables" as a gift about 1963. They were really something.
If we did not have company for evening dinner on Sunday, we were allowed to eat in the living room on the T.V. trays to watch "Walt Disney Show" at 6:00.
That was really special.

We did use a plain table setting, no fancy dishes or silver. but the knife and spoon had to be set at the right, fork on the left. Family dinners were Every Day at 5:30pm, every one of us had to be there. Dinner was ready when the teakettle whistled.

Set the table, washed the dishes, took out the trash, fed the dogs, mowed the yard, did my own laundry, swept, dusted - you name it and I did it. Ah the spoiled life of an only child was so good!

Yes we did. Meal time was family time. so we all helped. always had a pickle plate too. (Well not at breakfast LOL). then we cleaned up and washed and dried the dishes and put them away.
It is still a tradition in our house and we never use plastic or paper.

As the oldest and a girl, of course it was my job to set the table. And a lot of other household chores too.

Sure there were four of us kids and mom needed all the help she could get. then after the meal I stood on a chair and washed the dishes. I was too young and short to see into the sink.

I set the table cleared the table and did the dishes.

Yes, sometimes, and on Sundays, a table cloth as well.

Yes, if I didn't she'd get cranky and give me a lecture on how it's not her god given duty to do everything around the house. I'm still hearing this today...

Oh yes, very much so. And either place mats under each plate or a table cloth always. Much more respected in those days.

many times..i remember my dad picking up my plate of mashed potatoes to pass it around.(lol) ....i loved mashed potatoes!

I was the oldest girl and it was my job. for a family of 7 that was a lot of place settings .

No, but i would sometimes help her cook dinner

Sure and cleared it and did the dishes. there were three children. at least one of us spilled our milk at every meal.

Yes,i liked helping my mom when i was little...

No,my mother had to work

As a youngster, did you set the table for Mom?