I almost wanted to slap my nephew!

I doubt if you can still teach/raise a 16 year old how to use fork and knife. Isn't that something you teach your children when they are 3-4 years old already? To be honest I don't think you will find many 16 years old who like to be corrected that way at that age in front of everybody. What exactly it has to do with you want to slap him beats me. I also don't understand why you two could be like brothers. You could be his father as well since there is a big age difference. Also it's not about how you was like a teenager but how teenagers are or mostly are. Times are changing. If you didn't believe in any of them then you would say something? There are teenagers who already know that it doesn't matter if they say something or not, nobody will listen to them anyway. A good reason not to respond, or make it worse.

I think it is important to realize that he is a young adult at 16. He is not a child anymore. He should have been taught his manners when he was a much younger boy. I doubt that he would appreciate being scolded or instructed about his table manners at this late stage of his life. It must have been embarrassing for him, and he likely kept quiet to keep from getting himself or anyone else at the table upset. It’s better to just ignore someone when they are trying to embarrass you in front of your family.

I wonder why a 16 year old doesn't know how to use the knife and fork. I am not sure if the boy doesn't know how to use it since childhood. Kids must be taught how to use dinner wares as early as 2-3 years old. Maybe knife can teach once the kid reaches 10 years old, but for a 16 year old- that sounds odd.

it because teenagers now a days really different to teenagers before because before they can be afraid to their parents but now they ignore them even how angry they are,i am glad that my nieces and my nephew is not like that,they still have frightened to their parents.

Slapping is not a solution for that.You are mature enough and should put more emphasis on how can you make him understand rather punishing him physically.Everytime physical punishment is not the solution of every problem.Keep one thing in mind that you should not measure everybody in same standard as you were very responsible at his age but he is still to learn this is because of the maturity one attains and it may very from person to person.One may attains maturity very early and for some it takes really very long time.You need to keep your cool and come to his level of understanding and try,definitely he will understand.

One must be patient to teach life skills. Some people learn fast while others are slow.

Hello taiwan and welcome to myLot. As others here have stated your nephew should have been taught how to use a knife and fork along time ago. A 16 year old is almost an adult or at least he thinks he is. I am assuming that this took place with others present. It may be that your nephew might have been embarrassed to be given instructions on how to eat. He probably would be more receptive if the instructions were given in private. Teenagers are very easily embarrassed.

Instead of slapping him why not talk to him and explain to him why he should obey his Mom. Although I understand why you were irritated with his attitude. I myself is easily annoyed with unteachable or disobedient person. But for sure there is something wrong with the way your nephew was brought up by his parents unless of course he has some mental defect of whatever type (i.e,autism, mental retardation, etc.) If a child does not obey his parents, then the parents must discipline him. He should not be allowed to run away with disobedience just like that. But if the parent just let the child do his way even after being told then it is the parent who should be blamed. Remember....Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall it away from him".

Problem is, at that age they should already be taught. i think its pass that time for that. Hope he can turn things around himself there. Good luck with that there.....

I think that I would do as my parent suggested at the dinner table or I would be sent to bed a very hungry child! I don't remember ever sending one of my kids to bed without eating, but they didn't act like that either. When they were teenagers I had to learn which battle were actually worth the fight. I would have been exhausted if I fought all of them! He probably really did listen and learn, but he just wanted to be 'adult' and not seem like a child. You may be surprised at the next dinner that he demonstrates what his mom/your aunt was trying to tell him.