taking a toddler to a restraunt

boyohboyohboy wrote: when your child is acting up, loud and trying to run around (not running around the joint)..do you make your family leave or do you stay and keep correcting your child, so they will learn to behave in public?

ZandersMama replied: I try to stay so he will learn how to behave in public.

MoonMama replied: What do you mean toddler? Brae already does this at times. j/k But we would stay so he will learn how to act in public.

CantWait replied: We stay, and sometimes I take him to the bathroom and talk to him firmly. Anthony has gotten much better. I just try and bring some things to keep him occupied. Crayons, paper, small toys.

We have to try and remember how impatient we are waiting for our food sometimes, imagine what it's like for a 2, 3, 4 year old etc...

Brias3 replied: We'll usually stay to prove the point of learning to act correctly in public. I will usually take the "perpetrator" to the bathroom or into the waiting area for a stern talk though- so as to not bother everyone else in the restaurant trying to enjoy the meal.

I've never left just because usually when someone is acting up, the end goal they are trying to achieve IS leaving so I don't want to give in to the whole negative behavior for a positive reward.

skinkybaby replied: One of us takes her outside and sits in the car while everyone else finishes their meal. Its not fair to everyone in the restaurant to listen to my child throw a tantrum just so I can teach her to behave in public. We've only had to do it once.

Boys r us replied: We've taken our kids out in restaurants since day one and I'm a firm believer in that..it "socializes" them and they just grow up knowing how to behave while out in a restaurnt. We eat out usually 3 or 4 times a week..so leaving isn't an option..but teaching them to behave is imperative! We do our part by making sure we have things to occupy them. Like right now Braedon is very into coloring and drawing, so we keep his coloring tablet with us as well as crayons and this keeps him busy!

3xsthefun replied: I don't remember really being in this situation. But if they did. We would leave.

Cece00 replied: I'd give warnings to the child & a talk in the bathroom and if he or she still wasnt behaving, we would be going home. I *hate* hearing kids act up in public, I wont subject other people to it. And my child would be in trouble when we got home- straight to bed, etc etc. I bring stuff for my kids to do, including toys & snacks, so if my kids are acting up, its not because I didnt try to prevent it.

Nina J replied: For us, it depends. Usually we try to get the kids to stop misbehaving, but if they are being persistent then either DH or myself goes outside with them. I don't want to disrupt people's dinner or whatever, they didn't order one screaming toddler

hawkshoe replied:
This is what we do. We make an attempt to get them to behave at the table. I f that doesn't work, one of us will take them outside. If we can calm them down we bring them back in, if not, they wait until everyone else is done. We have only had to do this once or twice and they learned to behave appropriately.

C&K*s Mommie replied: We stay in the restraunt, go to the restroom if need be- but we stay.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I set expations, if she acts out, waring we will leave for a chat, if still continues, we go have the talk, if that does not work her and I go to the car.

I try to take things to keep her busy if I know the wait will or could be long, and not to take her when she is overly tired (made that mistake once on vacation, wont do that again)

CantWait replied: I'm surprised by how many said they go to a restroom and have a chat with their toddler. I thought I was the only one that did this

Maddy'sMommy replied: We usually try and resolve it at the table or outside. I found that offering a reward for being good really works great. For Example...Last night we went to Applebee's and they have balloons. Of course she wanted one right away, but we told her if you are good, after we eat you can get one. She behaved great, the waiter even commented on how good she was. If they don't balloons we tell her something else like a special treat or prize.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Depends on how bad the behavior was. We've never had to leave. We have also brought things with us for Tanner to do as well. We pack up his little Bob the Builder backpack with toys and stuff to keep him occupied, or else he does get bored with just sitting there. Kids need to be occupied with something. For the most part, I'd say stay and get the child use to restaraunts. After consistancy they all learn. We started bringing Tanner out to eat since he was a baby. He did go through a stage when he started to walk where he didn't want to sit there, but after a few more times he got over it and realized he wasn't getting up.

EvesMom replied: I instinctively take my DD outside until she can controll herself then return to the table. The first time I did it, I was out with my parents, and they said they did the same thing when I and my 3 brothers were little. They said we learned really quick to behave in public. I personally think it's embarrassing to let my child carry on and disturb others while they are trying to enjoy a meal.

ediep replied: I would only bring Jason to a restuarant if he were hungry too so that at least he'll eat and keep busy. I usually bring small toys or crayons too

I haven't really been out to dinner with Emma yet

MommyToAshley replied: Ashley was always pretty good at restaurants... we've never had to leave or go outside. Maybe because she loves to eat? I always bring stuff for her to do while we are waiting. If she were to act up, she'd get a warning and then start getting grounded, privledges revoked. This usually works in any situation as she knows the first thing to go would be her VSmile.

lisar replied:
I agree. I stay take them to the bathroom talk to them. I also normally have little things to keep them occupied. I will play with them. Lexi learnt how to write her name that way. Everytime we went out to eat that was her thing was to practice writing her name. Thats how she learnt it. So I just try to keep them occupied.

My3LilMonkeys replied: We've never really had a big problem with it....occasionally I'll have to take Brooke for a short walk, but most of the time they are good.