I'm trying to start teaching my children good table manners. They are now old enough to understand they don't throw their plate on the floor or spit out their food, LOL. So I'm moving on to using a napkin to wipe your mouth, eating quietly (I mean not making noise as you chew), not talking with food in your mouth, that sort of thing.

What else do you think is important? I guess asking to be excused is another good one. Am I getting to picky if I say "no elbows on the table" or that sort of thing?

I don't think its being too picky so long as you're not particularly punishing them for forgetting. I think you've already got the most important ones that many people forget about. Everything else can be added as they get older.

We have decent manners except for two things. The first is her leaving the table, running around and coming back, and the second is that she puts her feet up on the table. Booster seats put her just at the right height for that unfortunately.

No winning with either yet, though she's great with napkins and so on.

I have managed to get them to stop wandering away in the middle of a meal. I took their plates and put them on the counter, and when they came back I just said "Oh, I thought you were done. Gosh, it's a good thing I didn't throw it away, I was about to" And gave it back and kept repeating "please stay in your chair until you are done. If you walk away I think you are done".

I thought that was a kinder way to do it than actually taking the plate and throwing it away and making them go hungry, as my mother in law suggested! Yikes! My way worked, anyway, and no tears.

I'm trying to start teaching my children good table manners. They are now old enough to understand they don't throw their plate on the floor or spit out their food, LOL. So I'm moving on to using a napkin to wipe your mouth, eating quietly (I mean not making noise as you chew), not talking with food in your mouth, that sort of thing.

What else do you think is important? I guess asking to be excused is another good one. Am I getting to picky if I say "no elbows on the table" or that sort of thing?

Sounds like you are doing everything just right. If we bombard our little ones with too many rules in one sitting (no pun intended!) then they would feel stressed. As each little 'rule' is assimilated and becomes more natural to them, then you can move onto the next house rule.

Well done on your achievements so far :)

We work on one rule at a time until it's mastered.

We've also had great success playing "restaraunt". I like the girls "dress up" for dinner (and I do to) and we practice using very frilly and exaggerated manners. It seems silly, but it reinforces the behavior I want in a kind way.