As parents, we’ve all been there. You’re tired, the dishes are piled up, and you don’t feel like cooking. You pile the kids in the car and run down to your local family restaurant. Before you know it, your kids are running around, yelling, screaming, throwing tantrums, and generally misbehaving. Why, oh why, we ask ourselves, does it have to be my kid that is making everyone miserable. Some parents try to ignore the kids – which just makes everyone else angry. Others make themselves (and their kids) miserable trying to corral their wayward children.
It doesn’t have to be that way if you can remember a few simple things before you head out the door:
- Kids are full of energy – tire them out a little
- Be prepared for boredom
- Teach them manners
Issue #1 is where the problem starts. As a parent, you should know that trying to get a child to sit quietly for any length of time is a frustrating descent into madness. Kids are little dynamos. That energy has to come out somehow, so they wiggle, make noise, and run around. They just can’t help themselves. It’s up to you to help them and it’s not even that difficult to do. You can nip that one in the bud by doing any of the following before heading out to the restaurant:
- Stop by a playground on the way to the restaurant and let your child run around for at least 10 minutes – longer if you have time.
- If the restaurant has a playground, let your child play while you’re ordering.
- Park as far away from the restaurant as you can. If it’s safe enough (not in an open parking lot), let your child run around outside the restaurant before going in.
If there’s any other physical activity your child likes that will allow them to release a little energy before having to sit, do it. Be careful though. You can go too far and make your child over-tired. This is worse than just being full of energy, and just about the only way out is through a crying, screaming fit until the child finally succumbs to sleep.
If your child does misbehave, take them outside for a couple of minutes. They may need to run around a bit more, or they may need to understand that bad behavior will get them removed from the rest of the family. Or, they may just need a couple of minutes to throw their tantrum and get themselves back under control. Either way, your fellow patrons will be very appreciative.
Once your child has been allowed to vent some energy, you will be amazed at how quiet and compliant they will be. Your child will happily sit and play with the kids menu and crayons, or their favorite toy. Be prepared for boredom though. If you know your child won’t be completely entertained by the kids menu provided by the restaurant, then bring something that you know will entertain them – extra blank paper, a stuffed toy, a Game Boy/DS or other mobile game device.
Lastly, give your child the tools they need to behave at a restaurant before you go out. That means teaching them to behave at home the way you want them to behave at a restaurant. Now as parents, we’re exhausted at the end of the day and we just want to go the easy route and let the kids be themselves. But if your child is used to running around screaming at home and you don’t correct them, you can’t expect them to know how to behave when you go out. So don’t forget to teach your children basic table manners. It’s never too early to start, and you’ll be glad you did.
With a little work and a little planning, you and your fellow diners will have a much better dining experience. You’ll notice a pleasant change around the dinner table at home too.