subject: Get Kids to Listen When Taking Them Out - New Website for Parents [print this page] Get Kids to Listen When Taking Them Out - New Website for Parents
When you have young children, taking your kid's out to a restaurant can be a big task. It can be difficult to get kids to listen and it can be aggravating and also embarrassing. When you have toddlers, they tend to wiggle and want to climb under the table. The main cause of this is your child being bored or them just wanting to explore some place they have never been before. If you are debating on going out, look at your child's current mood. Are they already acting up? If they are having a bad day or acting hyper, you might just want to cancel your plans and make dinner at home. If your children are older and they don't want to go, don't force them. If they are old enough to stay at home, let them. This will cause a more enjoyable experience and might just save you some money. If you decide on going out to eat, bringing toys might just be a good idea. Some of the "kid friendly" restaurants will provide something for the children such as coloring sheets and crayons. The fast food chains usually have kid's meals that come with a toy. If you are going to say a small non-chain restaurant, they might not provide anything, so coming prepared might be a good idea. Some ideas of things to bring are: books, dolls, action figures, coloring books, crayons, paper and hand held games. If you bring the games, make sure you can turn the volume off. You wouldn't want to see others snicker at you for your child making noises at the table with their game. Get your kids to listen first. If you have a picky eater, have a backup plan. Make sure to bring snacks in your purse or diaper bag in case they will not eat what is being served at the restaurant. Your goal should be to have an enjoyable experience. If you are going out to a popular restaurant, make sure to see if you can reserve a table. Waiting for a table, then waiting for your meal can bring the mood down and make your outing less enjoyable. Going out to eat should be a special event for your family. Make each outing special so that they look forward to going out to eat again. See Christopher's Blog about how to get your kids to listen at http://flowercraftsforkids.com/parenting/ By Christopher Wilson B.S Elementary Education Alabama A&M University
