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Step 1
Decide on an appropriate place to take them according to their age.
While children of any age can be taken out to eat, it is important for you to keep kid-friendly restaurants in mind. Places like Applebees, TGIF, Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other family style restaurants are the perfect places to start getting your child used to dining out.
These types of restaurants are usually child friendly and offer high chairs, crayons, children's menus and understanding staff and patrons for your little ones first outings. These restaurants also have the benefit of being nice enough places (as opposed to McDonalds) where young children, starting around the age 4 or 5, can be taught to behave properly in a restaurant setting. Such as napkins on their lap, no yelling, arguing or talking loudly, ordering politely for themselves, sitting up straight, etc. -
Step 2
Explain in detail how you expect them to behave before even leaving the house.
Going out to dinner should be considered a special treat for all involved and it is important for children to think of it that way as well. Explain to them how you expect them to act and warn them if they do not behave, that there will not be any future restaurant outings in the immediate future.
Get them excited about the special meal they will be able to have, and even the special dessert, as long as they are on the best behavior and then explain what that behavior should be. Such as using their indoor voice, no arguing with siblings at the table, not leaving their seat unless it is to go to the bathroom, etc.
If they start to act up at the restaurant, remind them quietly that they will not be allowed to go out with you next time if their bad behavior keeps up. -
Step 3
Order their dinner to be brought at the same time as your appetizer.
This is a lesson I learned very early on. If your child does not yet eat appetizers, it is a good idea to have their meal delivered at the same time as your appetizer arrives. A hungry child can become a bored and cranky child very quickly if others are eating at the table before them.
If you are going to a restaurant that usually takes awhile to bring out the first course, you might even want to bring small crackers or a small snack to keep your little one satisfied until the meal arrives.
Usually children eat much slower than adults do anyway, so many times you will find that you have already finished your appetizers and have started eating your main course before they have even finished their meal. This will leave less time for them to get bored or antsy. -
Step 4
Bring things to amuse them. If you are going out with just your immediate family in order to spend some quality time together and plan to have your children involved in the entire discussion, there is no need to bring in outside toys or amusements (unless they are really young and are not ready for conversation).
If, however, you and your spouse, your friends or adult family members plan on having an kind of adult conversation, it is definitely recommended that you bring something that will keep your children busy in the meantime. Nothing will have a child getting antsy faster than having to sit quietly listening to boring adult conversation. Books to read, coloring books, puzzle books or even hand-held video games (with the noise off) are great ways to keep your little ones quiet while you enjoy the company of other grown ups. -
Step 5
Take Them Outside
If you find that no matter what you do your child is still acting up, you might want to take them for a walk outside the restaurant for a few minutes to let them calm down. This is especially true if there will be a long wait in-between courses or you are with other adults who would like to continue a conversation. Do your best not to get angry with them and try to show your child one or two interesting things that surround the restaurant that will hold their attention for a few minutes and possibly change the direction of their behavior. -
Step 6
Don't Give Up
Even if your last outing was a disaster, try again in about a month or two. Children change and grow quickly and sometimes a little time can make all the difference. If they behave the second time around, be sure to praise them for acting "grown up" and promise them more outings in the future as long as they continue to do so well.
