Planning for a sumptuous dinner with the family in a grand restaurant but worried about the eating manners of your finicky toddler? Your pleasant experience of enjoying the lip smacking dinner can turn into a nightmare because of your child’s behavior. Many a time children are seen creating a mess around the dining table with the tidbits of food which they eat. Sometimes they gobble the food served in one go and then vomit. Thinking about these circumstances can give you goosebumps. Well, with little care and concern you can avoid the mishap.
Showing big eyes or howling at your child would not work, so read on to know about some tips that would help you eat out with your kid peacefully with all table manners.
1. Give the Training from Home
You can inculcate table manners to your kids from home. Every time the child sits and dines, teach him the correct posture and the importance of keeping quite while eating. But being a child they would be frisky and go on babbling something from the mouth, make them feel that these are bad manners and how other people will feel about it. Of course, no child would like to get scolded by others so they will surely maintain decorum. You can make a to do list for the child telling that these are the things which are expected from you while you sit on the dining table.
2. Look for a Suitable Restaurant
If you have to take your kid along with you for the dinner make sure you look for a restaurant that is acclimatized in handling kids. Normally, there are few pizza chains where the waiters take special care of the kids and even offer them some complementary gifts so that they keep quite. The people working in such restaurant are used to working with the finicky toddlers. Just get into one of those outlets and enjoy your meal without facing embarrassment because of the child.
3. Eat at off Hours
Go in off hours. This means that you should take you child at that point of time when the restaurant is not full with people. Always try to look for a brunch or late lunch if the child is along with you. This would be a welcome relief for you as the restaurant would not have many people and even if you child behaves friskily, there is hardly anyone to pinpoint. But, if you make the grave mistake of taking your hyperactive child to an overcrowded restaurant, you would be advised to keep your child shut and proclaimed as a bad parent who has no idea of good parenting.
4. Keep the Child Busy and Occupied
If your child is not willing to act in a decent manner outside then nothing can be better than this option, just keep him occupied with the things he loves to do. Either you can talk about his favorite cartoon character or comment of the various aspects or you can take a video game which he can play all the while in the restaurant till the dishes get served. You can even tell the child to carry a notebook and drawing pen by which he can express his creativity and does not get bored. Getting involved will make the child silent and he would not shout even if the food is getting delayed.
5. Reward the Server Well
Rewarding shows how generous you are and your child will take inspiration from you. Not only this, thank the waiter with full fledged heart and give the tip liberally. The reason is that they have tolerated your kid’s bad behavior and now if you ask for an apology it would be appreciable.
