Bad Table Manners

[Lee-Bee]

How old are they?

I would really play hard ball here. Tell them tomorrow morning that the new rules are no burping, no grabbing, (list everything). As soon as they do ANY of those behaviors they get ONE warning. After that if any behavior is repeated all food is removed and they wait till the next meal. If possible remove them from the eating area and put them in bed early (if lunch time).

I would start this at morning snack so they have a chance to pull it together in time for lunch. But...expect they will go home really hungry.

I would prewarn the parents. Let them know that due to poor behavior that is spreading to other children this is what will happen at meals from now on.

It shouldn't take long before they chose to pull it together for food. You will likely speed things along by serving foods they very much enjoy (it is more 'painful' to have food you like removed than food you don't care for).

I would expect their behavior to get worse briefly (you remove food and they resort to acting really poorly while the others finish eating). Do your best to put them somewhere safe where you can ignore them completely.

Before each meal give very clear reminders of all behaviors that will result in their losing their meal. Over praise EVERYTHING. If they behave for 15 seconds comment on it. But as soon as they do one of the listed behaviors they get the warning and then lose their meal.

This should be easier for the children that were well behaved but have come to join in the poor behavior. By having them warned of also losing a meal they will likely stop joining the negative behave giving further reason for the siblings to pull it together.