To teach a child basic dining skills, follow these essential steps when giving advice on how to hold dining utensils in the Continental Dining Style:

• Grasp the utensils’ handles in the palms of the hands 

• Place  the index fingers on the back of the fork and knife  
• Gently apply sufficient pressure right from the top of the fork and knife 
• Cut from the top down
• Do not apply too much pressure -- food will fly off the plate
• Use proper "finished" and "resting" positions when not using the flatware