| Dining with kids who haven't yet grasped the concept | | | | work wonders for my toddler), a handful of quiet toys, |
| of eating out can be wildly frustrating and stressful. | | | | and some snacks to keep your child occupied, |
| You can actually find yourself in a terrible situation by | | | | especially if the food is taking too long to be served. |
| not planning beforehand and reacting negatively to | | | | 4. Don't react negatively once your child starts to |
| people around you who don't appreciate your | | | | misbehave. Speak in a normal tone and tell your child |
| screaming toddler ruining their meal. | | | | his or her behavior is inappropriate and won't be |
| You don't have to keep pulling your hairs out of your | | | | tolerated. |
| head when you consider dining with kids in your | | | | 5. If your child doesn't stop misbehaving within a |
| favorite restaurant anymore, if you follow these | | | | reasonable amount of time (approx. 2 minutes or so), |
| time-tested, proven tips: | | | | quietly and sternly inform them you're going to have to |
| 1. Choose a very family-friendly, healthy fast food | | | | take them outside the restaurant until they choose to |
| place such as Wendy's so your child can be exposed | | | | behave appropriately. If you have to take them outside, |
| to what it's like to eat out, away from the comfort of | | | | do so for a good 5 minutes (yeah I know, your eggs |
| their own home. Whether or not Wendy's is healthy is | | | | are getting cold!) so they can begin to remember the |
| debatable, but the trick here is to introduce dining away | | | | consequences in the future for misbehavior at a |
| from home at a restaurant you feel comfortable with | | | | restaurant. |
| when your child gets a little out of hand. | | | | 6. When they behave well, be sure to praise them! |
| 2. Once they're used to eating out, it's time to take | | | | The most important thing to remember when dining |
| them to your favorite family breakfast place like IHOP | | | | with kids in a restaurant is that they are still going |
| so they can begin to see and feel what it's like to have | | | | through the learning process of what it feels like to eat |
| a server take your order as well as the process of | | | | away from the comfort of their luxury high chair in |
| the server bringing food to the table. | | | | their favorite place - HOME! The more you eat out, the |
| 3. Make sure, when you go to a restaurant with waiter | | | | more comfortable and well-behaving your child will |
| service, to bring items to occupy your child's mind and | | | | eventually be, as long as you apply these principles. |
| time! Bring a couple of books (Curious George books | | | | |