These are only tips that will keep EVERYONE in the restaurant comfortable and happy to be there if a few steps are followed.
If you are going to be eating a little later than normal, take some crayons and paper or a toy with you. Give them a piece of fruit to eat before leaving home and they will not fuss so much if dinner is long in coming.
Take the time, at home, to be consistent with the use of manners and etiquette. When they are out in pubic it will show. We have gone over and commented to parents when their children are a joy to watch. NEVER when they are misbehaved. Once, Don got up and offered to buy whatever it would take to get this one child stopped from that high shrill scream they have. My father wore a hearing aid and it almost broke his ear drum. They finally took the kid outside until he calmed down and returned about 10 minutes later.
If your children (and you) are chewing gum…remove it BEFORE entering the restaurant. DO not, under any circumstances, put it on your ear, finger tip,or underside of your plate and NEVER stick it under the table. Come On…would you like to clean that? Not me.
Parents please, please, please…do not loudly scold your children in a public place. It is embarrassing for them and for others. Immediately go outside or to the washroom to correct him/her/them. NEVER YELL! I don’t know about you, but my Dad had a “look”. You just knew you had gone too far.
More later….
