How to Teach Your Kids to Behave in Restaurants

Last updated on: September 22, 2015 at 11:38 am by Jennifer Fitz

How to Teach Your Kids to Behave in Restaurants 2015-09-22T11:38:28-05:00 Jennifer Fitz

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Some friends are lamenting the plague of poorly-behaved children at what ought to be decent restaurants. These are people who like children, but who want to eat with the sure confidence that a stranger’s fork won’t be launched across the room by the little monster making the high-pitched scream as he races through the establishment.

As a parent, you don’t want to be “that family.” But we know children have free will, and that we cannot control other people, we can only respond to their actions. If you follow two easy tips, you’ll never be the restaurant-wrecker again.

1. If you are captive, eat someplace with low standards. There are times when you have to go into a restaurant, even though Junior is not fit for company — when you are traveling, for example. Choose an establishment that is not one of those places people go for a quiet, leisurely retreat. Get in, get out, do your best to enforce some standards, and apologize to those around you if your children are a nuisance. Done.

2. All the other times: Do not allow your children to be in the restaurant if they are misbehaving. If it’s a family event, like a wedding dinner, and you are there alone with several children, leave your civilized ones in the hands of a relative, and take the hoodlums to the parking lot until they can behave. If it’s just you and your kids, you can just pay your bill and go, done, or one adult can stay with behaving children while the other adult takes naughty children out of the restaurant.

Prevent disasters as much as possible by gauging your child’s behavior before deciding to go to the restaurant. If the child is already tired, cranky, or overwrought, it is not a good time to go out to eat. It’s unfair of you to ask your child to meet a standard of behavior he simply isn’t ready to provide right now.

When you have a good experience, thank your children and compliment them. “It’s such a pleasure being able to go out someplace special with you. You are a real lady/gentleman.”

That’s all there is to it.

This is the method that works. Parents who grow up to have children who are reliably pleasant to eat with use this approach. You don’t have to be mean, you don’t have to lose your temper, you don’t have to think up some elaborate scheme. You just have to make the firm decision that people who can’t get along with others shouldn’t be in restaurants.

Keep using this method for as long as you want your children to be civilized. It works on fussy babies (just go pace with the baby outside until she settles down) and it works on fussy teenagers (who can go sit outside all by themselves, if you are lucky), and fussy adults (whom you do not have to invite to join you if they’ve proven themselves unpleasant to be with).

Use the method, and there will be times when you don’t get to eat at the restaurant. But with persistence, eventually you’ll have children who are a pleasure to eat with, and who get invited to go places even by other adults who aren’t obliged, but just like your family’s company.

Artwork by The FAB Awards (The FAB Awards) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Facepalm

Forgiveness

It's All Catholic

Previous Post

September 21, 2015

Why I Love Presenting for Family Honor

Next Post

September 23, 2015 Top Ten Pope Quotes From the Private Obama Meeting #satire

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Catechesis Catholic Q&A Chastity Church Craziness Come See Me Talk Disability & Chronic Illness Economics Evangelization Facepalm Forgiveness Good Things History Homeschooling Human Rights It's All Catholic Listen to Me Survey Series Liturgical Living Marriage Modesty Not Satire. But almost. Rant-o-Rama Sacred Art & Music Satire South Carolina Spark Clutter Stick that Corner Suffering Thinking Topics Writing Stuff

Select a Month September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 January 2026 December 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Be strong and work, for I am with you. My Spirit remains among you according to what covenant?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The new covenant The Abrahamic Covenant The Mosaic covenant The covenant made when Israel came out of Egypt