If you have ever been to a restaurant and saw kids running around, yelling, making messes at the table, or generally misbehaving, you understand the importance of kids learning “restaurant manners” in addition to their regular table manners.
Out of control children not only annoy other customers of the restaurant but can be a danger to themselves, to the servers, and to other patrons. While there is no guarantee that a child won’t act up while out, it is more likely that they will behave appropriately if they are taught so to do. With a few preparations and a bit of planning, your child will have a good chance of showing their best behavior when eating out.
Prepare Them
Your child should be told that you will be going out to eat at least a week in advance. During that week, be sure to practice good table manners with your child at all meals. The day before the planned trip, remind your child again that you are going out to eat and why you are doing so.
It is at this point that you can discuss the menu with your child and see if s/he will select her/his meal before you get to the restaurant. The day of the meal out, again, you should remind your child about when you are going out and that they must select a meal before leaving for the restaurant.
On the way to the restaurant, remind your child about your expectations for behavior and the rules for eating out. The point of this is not to build so much excitement in your child that they are going to be out of control when you get to the restaurant. You are just reminding them of how special eating out is and that you want them to do their best.
Schedule It Right
If you plan a trip to a restaurant before nap, right before bed, or later than normal meal time, you are setting yourself up for a disaster. Even though your child may be excited about eating out, that excitement will soon fade if s/he is overly tired or overly hungry. Give your kids the best chance to show off her/his ability to handle dinner out by scheduling your dinner out at a time where your child is at her/his best.
Scheduling your dinner out with an arrival time between 4 pm and 5 pm on weekdays is also a good idea. During this time, restaurants are usually quiet at this time, there is little wait time between being seated and getting your food, and you should be able to be seated very quickly.
You should have some idea of what you want to order before sitting down or at least know what your child would like to eat. Most restaurants have their menus available online so you can preview it before actually arriving at the restaurant.
Table Manners are a Given
Children who are expected to use proper table manners at home will most likely use them out of habit when eating at a restaurant. You simply cannot expect any child to have table manners when you are eating out if they are not expected to use their manners every time they sit down to a meal.
Although all children need reminding, if manners are the norm, your child will use them most of the time whether at home or at a restaurant. At the very least, children should be expected to eat with utensils, chew quietly, not to play with their food or table items, and only speak when there is no food in their mouths.
In order for young children to be able to handle using utensils, parents should have a set of child sized utensils available when they are eating out. Children tend to mimic what they see so, as an adult, you need to use your manners at the table and be a good example for your child.
Handling Tantrums
Even the best laid plans and the best prepared children can have an off day or an off moment and a tantrum can begin. Ideally, children should be taught early on that tantrums are not acceptable nor will having a tantrum sway a parent into do what the child wants.
If a tantrum begins, take the child outside or to the front hallway so they can settle themselves down before returning to the table. Anything you tell your child you are going to do, such as leave the restaurant whether you are done or not, you must be willing to do in order for your words to have meaning to your child.
Idle threats and an unlimited amount of chances to improve behavior will simply teach the child that they can get away with whatever they want
Bust Boredom Quickly
Expecting your child to sit quietly with nothing to do while the adults at the table talk is unrealistic. While many restaurants provide crayons and coloring pages, parents should come to the restaurant well-armed with quiet activities kids can do on their own.
Books, handheld games either without sound or with earphones, and drawing pads are all things children can do on their own while waiting for their meal. It must be understood, however, that once the meals arrive, all activities are put away in order to focus on eating. By planning ahead and having quiet activities that will keep your child busy, you are setting them up for success.
Eating out as a family is an activity that is fun for everyone – as long as there are clear behavioral expectations and opportunities for children to show that they have mastered the skills needed to eat out in a restaurant. Parents can insure their child’s success by preparing them well, letting them know the acceptable boundaries, and warding off trouble as early as possible.
With these safeguards in place, your child will be welcomed at any restaurant and may even be complimented by other patrons on their manners and behavior.
Source: http://www.lovingyourchild.com/2013/05/how-to-teach-your-kids-restaurant-manners/