Planning to dine out with your toddler? Follow the tips to make dining out with your toddler a memorable and an enjoyable experience. With a one year old or two year old toddler in tow, the hands are always full. But still there are ways by which you can make the experience of dining out a pleasant affair and not something that you would be keen to get over or forget. Here are some very simple ways by which you can make dining out an enjoyable experience: In this articleBe Prepared With Adequate PropsTeach MannersOrder the Food QuicklyWalk Around a BitBe Prepared With Adequate Props This means that carry a few small little things that can keep your toddler busy. Toddlers are quite restless and high on energy. So they will always be up to something or the other. When you are dining out, there will be hardly any opportunity to let the toddler freely move around or play. So carry little toys that will keep him busy and happy when you are in the waiting room or waiting for the food to arrive. Teach Manners Let the toddler know that you will be dining outside and that he is expected to behave accordingly and follow all table manners. Some kids get nervous if suddenly they are taken out for dinner when they are mentally sort of prepared to have it at home in a more relaxed and known environment. Order the Food Quickly When you are dining out with your toddler, remember that they have pretty little patience, which is again quite natural. So you need to really decide and order fast so that you have the minimum time waiting for the food to arrive. Since the baby is aware that you have to dine out, he will get readily impatient if the food takes time to arrive. Walk Around a Bit Toddlers usually do not like it when they are asked to sit like a statue for long. While you are talking to other people who might have accompanied you for dinner or discussing the menu, the toddler might feel left out and sulk. It is a good idea to always keep them in good humour if you want the entire dinner time to be free from adventures. Walking around a bit is a good option. Hold the toddler’s hand as you take a walk through the corridor of the restaurant, or to the washroom, or to the garden area, if there is any or simply to the other end of the room and back to your seat. Finally, be observant and quick with your reactions. Your kid may be a calm one or a hyperactive one. Whatever the case, it is probable that he might lose patience suddenly and act in a manner so that he can have your complete attention. Or he may simply feel like behaving a little out of turn. That is a kid’s whim, whose reason is practically unexplained. There is no reason that you freak out when the toddler behaves in a weird fashion. There are basically high chances that he will give certain cues that you are best acquainted with, signalling that he is up to something or that he is no longer interested in sitting quiet. You need to act fast and engage the toddler in some activity or the other like say, hold a conversation or take him to the washroom in order to divert his attention. Within a few minutes you will notice that the kid is calming down or is behaving back to normal. This is when you can easily continue with your dinner. Kids can be unpredictable at times, but not unmanageable.
Planning to dine out with your toddler? Follow the tips to make dining out with your toddler a memorable and an enjoyable experience. With a one year old or two year old toddler in tow, the hands are always full. But still there are ways by which you can make the experience of dining out a pleasant affair and not something that you would be keen to get over or forget. Here are some very simple ways by which you can make dining out an enjoyable experience:
Be Prepared With Adequate Props
This means that carry a few small little things that can keep your toddler busy. Toddlers are quite restless and high on energy. So they will always be up to something or the other. When you are dining out, there will be hardly any opportunity to let the toddler freely move around or play. So carry little toys that will keep him busy and happy when you are in the waiting room or waiting for the food to arrive.
Teach Manners
Let the toddler know that you will be dining outside and that he is expected to behave accordingly and follow all table manners. Some kids get nervous if suddenly they are taken out for dinner when they are mentally sort of prepared to have it at home in a more relaxed and known environment.
Order the Food Quickly
When you are dining out with your toddler, remember that they have pretty little patience, which is again quite natural. So you need to really decide and order fast so that you have the minimum time waiting for the food to arrive. Since the baby is aware that you have to dine out, he will get readily impatient if the food takes time to arrive.
Walk Around a Bit
Toddlers usually do not like it when they are asked to sit like a statue for long. While you are talking to other people who might have accompanied you for dinner or discussing the menu, the toddler might feel left out and sulk. It is a good idea to always keep them in good humour if you want the entire dinner time to be free from adventures. Walking around a bit is a good option. Hold the toddler’s hand as you take a walk through the corridor of the restaurant, or to the washroom, or to the garden area, if there is any or simply to the other end of the room and back to your seat.
Finally, be observant and quick with your reactions. Your kid may be a calm one or a hyperactive one. Whatever the case, it is probable that he might lose patience suddenly and act in a manner so that he can have your complete attention. Or he may simply feel like behaving a little out of turn. That is a kid’s whim, whose reason is practically unexplained. There is no reason that you freak out when the toddler behaves in a weird fashion.
There are basically high chances that he will give certain cues that you are best acquainted with, signalling that he is up to something or that he is no longer interested in sitting quiet. You need to act fast and engage the toddler in some activity or the other like say, hold a conversation or take him to the washroom in order to divert his attention. Within a few minutes you will notice that the kid is calming down or is behaving back to normal. This is when you can easily continue with your dinner. Kids can be unpredictable at times, but not unmanageable.
