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Mind the clock. Is your dining
excursion interfering with naps or
bedtime, or have you been running
errands for hours? If so, you might
just be asking for a mealtime
meltdown. Save your restaurant
visits for times after your little ones
are well rested – breakfast might be
a better idea than dinner.
•
Choose restaurants that have a kids’
menu. The fancier the restaurant
is, the more likely – and more
literally – you’re really just letting
your darling little bull loose in a
china shop. By sticking to family
restaurants, the meal becomes less
stressful for everyone.
•
Bring small snacks in case the food
is late. You want your kids to be
hungry for their meals, but not
starving. A handful of Cheerios or
some fresh fruit go a long way in
warding off hunger tantrums.
•
Keep the children occupied
by making use of free crayons,
including kids in conversation, and
bringing a favourite book or some
small toys. If your wait is long (if
you’re eating with a large group,
for example) go for a walk in the
lobby or outside. Oldie-but-goodie
games such as I Spy or Guess the
Animal can go a long way towards
positively handling an annoying
long wait.
Now that you’ve planned for your
adventure, read on to learn what
to do next time your twins make it
their mission to wreak havoc on the
salad bar – and your enjoyable family
restaurant outing:
Restaurant remedy #1:
Fill your kids up with attention
The single most powerful way to foster
good behaviour in your kids is to
spend one-on-one time with them on
a daily basis. “Mind, Body and Soul
Time” is the way to fill your child’s
attention basket throughout the day
–
even when he’s not asking for your
time –
proactively and positively
.
When his
attention basket is full to the brim, he
won’t seek attention with negative and
undesirable behaviours.
The recipe
Aim for ten minutes twice a day per
child, per parent. That may sound
like a lot of time, but you’ll more than
make up for it as you watch the time
you spend dealing with misbehaviour
decrease. Tune out all distractions
(
even your smartphone) and let your
child lead the way. Not only will your
child love this tradition, but you’ll
enjoy the peek into her world.
If you’re anticipating a
particularly tricky restaurant situation
(
Grandma and Grandpa’s 50th
anniversary dinner or a close friend’s
birthday party) give your child an
extra helping of “Mind, Body & Soul
Time” just before you leave – or even
in the car on the way. That way, she
won’t be craving attention before
you’ve even ordered your drink.
Restaurant remedy #2:
Let your kids be choosey
One of the most effective ways to
transfer positive power to your kids
is to allow them opportunities, little
by little, to practise making decisions.
They lead to a heightened feeling of
significance and give children a sense
of dominion over their own lives. And
as kids will find a way to get power
somehow, we can stop and prevent
quite a few negative behaviours by
giving it to them up front.
The recipe
Just as restaurants can easily become
a playground for bad behaviour, they
also offer a myriad of choices for
children. Younger kids can feel like
part of the decision-making process
by getting to pick between options.
Italian or Chinese food? Table or
booth? Milk or water? Which meal
from the kids’ menu? For tweens and
teens, empower them by giving them
the option to choose the restaurant,
within your budget parameters, or the
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