Dining Out with Kids

[madmum]

we very rarely go out to a restaurant, but when we have, we have never taken anything with us. The children do behave with just communication (most of the time) although there have been slip up times, which we dealt with there and then.

[Sammi1961]

Joy, I agree with you too. I have never seen anyone bring a portable dvd player to a restaurant but it doesn't surprise me. I always kept crayons and small coloring books in my purse when my dks were young and they worked fine. Or we would play games like "I Spy". I think going out to eat is like others have said, a good time to teach good manners, have conversations etc. Most of the time the wait in any restaurant we went to was half an hour or less. I think if I had a very young toddler and the wait was too long, i would go someplace else rather than use a dvd player.

[happymomof4]

I don't think dvd players belong in restaurants. I did like most of you bring pencil or crayon and some paper with. I did the same thing for Church. To keep the small ones busy. But as they got older dinner time is a time to talk and get to know your kids better. My kids are so use to eat at the table every night for dinner. They just sit down at the table it isn't even a question of where are we going to eat tonight. We love to talk to each other and see what is going on in everyone's life.

[Liza44]

I agree also with Joy. I didn't even bring crayons, unless the restaurant supplied them. My son would flip the placemat over and draw until the meal was served. I don't believe that children need to be entertained every moment. They need to learn patience and conversation skills when out in public. Besides, letting them "tune" out from the rest of the family is just wrong! You are out together, interact together.

[cau]

We love to eat out and have taken our kids since they were very small. When they were very young we went to family type places and I just dealt with the meltdown if it happened. I brought small toys and pencils when they were too young to include but otherwise we talked. My kids were not allowed to get out of their seat unless they needed to use the restroom You just don’t take a toddler to a supper club, I got a sitter if we went fancy. I also hate yes, hate to see parents talking on their cell when they could be talking to their kids.

[Bilby]

Mobile phones, games and even TV is turned off at dinner time at the table at our place, we talk, the conversations can be really interesting LOL
Minding your manners is a good thing to learn while you are out also.

Good Q to throw out there.

[Coll]

I have never had any trouble with my own or anyone elses kids while in a restaurant. It seemed like they knew they better behave.
If the paper ends up all colored on, we will look for different shapes. The table is a rectangle, the carpet has different shapes, the lights are a circle, or whatever the shape may be, all sorts of things. I sometimes wil ask to be seated next to a window so we can see the different people in the parking lot. We will sometimes try to guess what the people in the next table are going to order.

[seleach]

I also think DVD players don't belong in resturants. Small toys or a fav doll or stuffed animal works good for little ones. When they can handle a pencil or crayon, the back of the placemat works well.
Games like I Spy, What Color or What Shape works.

[KSJEn6891]

Originally Posted by ajrsmom

Oh, Joy, I was trying to think of a nice way to say exactly what you said. I totally agree with you! My kids have been expected to behave in restaurants since they were very young. Don't get me wrong, they have meltdowns like other kids but that's when we act as parents and deal with the situation--even removing them from the restaurant until the meltdown is over, if needed.

Thanks for saying this in a nice way!

I agree with you ladies. with the exception that I have always made it very clear to my nieces and nephews that I don't tolerate misbehavior at the table. By age 4 they should have an understanding that the table is not a play place, but for eating (small bites and chewing w/mouth closed) and communicating respectfully with others. That they have the choice to follow our example or we are more than happy to take take them home and they can wait til morning for their meal or they can eat at their house (if not staying with us). My parents, and especially my adult family were the types that if the restaurant didn't supply the play items, then they weren't either. Although sometimes I do seek out inexpensive child friendly restaurants just so the children do have a place to run around and play during the day hours, but I still require them to use proper table manners when eating.