D
ining out can be a lot
of things. Exciting.
Romantic. Relaxing. But
adding kids to the mix
can make even the most motivated
foodie say “no” to dessert. And when
your daughter has lobbed ice cubes at
the neighbouring table – again – it’s
time to grab a doggy bag and run for
the door. Shouldn’t there be a way
to enjoy a restaurant meal without
babysitters or takeout?
I believe there is. I’m Amy
McCready, founder of Positive
Parenting Solutions and author of
If I Have to Tell You One More Time
…
Through my book, workshops,
appearances on The Today Show,
CNN, ABC News, The Martha
Stewart Show and more, I’ve helped
thousands of mums and dads conquer
their trickiest parenting challenges.
If you’re willing to work on some of
your kids’ most typical restaurant
misbehaviours, you can turn a dining-
out disaster into delicious family fun.
The fundamental truth is
that kids inherently need positive
attention and positive power – and
the quest for these is at the root of all
misbehaviours. If we don’t provide our
kids with plenty of positive ways to feel
noticed and in control, they will do so
themselves. And it won’t be pretty!
When it comes to negative-
attention and power-seeking
behaviours, restaurants are ripe
with possibilities. From dining room
tantrums to full-blown food fights, I’ve
seen it all, and I’ve compiled powerful,
effective solutions to help bring peace
to your public family meals.
Attention and power boosts are
relatively simple to provide when you
incorporate them into your routine.
By spending quality one-on-one
time with each of your kids every
day, and letting them develop their
independence by offering them some
control over their own lives, you’re
more likely to see good behaviour next
time you dine out.
Read on to learn some sure-fire
strategies for how to use these concepts
to get good behaviour in a restaurant.
As any good chef would tell you,
however, the best meals start with
good preparation. Utilise these tips
and tricks to create a good foundation
for your family outing:
•
Beat the restaurant rush by dining
early whenever possible. Beating
the dinner crowd means less time
waiting in restaurant lobbies,
shorter time for food to arrive, more
attention from wait staff, and fewer
victims of potential vegetable target
practice.
You don’t have to stay home for dinner (and neither
do your kids!), writes
Amy McCread
y.
December 2012
43