Kids in restaurants...

[yellowrose]

Concerning kids at Restaurants.
Two words.
Baby Sitter.

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
Yea, Olive Garden keeps being brought up sounding like one step above McDonald's. Olive Garden is the highest end place I have ever been to. My date had never been to anywhere that fancy ether. That $80 it cost sure felt pretty high end. Did bring her kids by the way.... Other than marking on the wall they did great.

Olive Garden is nice, but very generic... I think, because it is a chain, it isn't as nice as little locally owned Italian places. They just have more... I don't know, charm. I've been to a pizza place that I consider fancier than Olive Garden, even though it was probably about the same price. http://www.veroamorepizza.com/locations.asp

I haven't been to anywhere really fancy though, either.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Did have to go to dinner at a red lobster after a wedding once. O man was I out of place. I managed to launch a claw over 3 tables an clock some old lady in the back of the head.....

 

[greathorse]

At least once or twice a year we would take kids to a fine dining restaraunt as a treat for all. Most of the time of course it was just Mom and Dad. We did this at around 5 or six years of age. We would all get dressed up and it was a good time. Had they been even a bit of trouble they would have been outside until behavior changed, never made that trip once. They were always great. The worst thing that ever occurred is that our son when very young ran out of gas before dessert and just fell asleep under the table and no one noticed.

We of course did not go to the finest of places, but nice enough for dressing up and so forth. I think the staff enjoyed the fact that very young kids could behave and be polite.

 

[Laney]

Quote:
I think I am raising a feral child! When did you start disciplining them? And, how? Mine is going to be 2 in a week... and... I think maybe we are just having one of those weeks, but I'm at my wits end! We do time outs, but I don't think they really help. And if I did them for all the things he does he would spend all day in Time Out. Is that okay? I usually try to distract him from whatever he isn't supposed to do, and give him a short explanation. He is just getting more and more stubborn, and now he does the exact opposite of what I say. And... I hear you on the "leaving the grocery store / restaurant" bit... we do that. A lot.

Not that he is always bad, but this week...

Ok, I know I am going to get a lot of flack for this, because I know it is just not "done" now. However, on the bottom of that 2 year old there is this little thing called the reset switch. You give it one swift wack and you will get his attention. He'll be shocked but not hurt (I'm sure he's wearing a diaper or pull up of some sort). The reset switch must be reserved for times when the child is emotionally out of control and obviously defiant. Once it is applied, and shock has set in, you can apply time out followed by a cuddle and explaination of punishment. Reset switches are never to be flipped in anger, a deep breath should always be taken before you flip them.

Now when the child is older, more self aware and in control of their emotions and ability to communicate, the reset switch is flipped in a different manner, but that isn't the situation here.

Lany

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

No flack here..... Ill say it... Timeouts are a joke.... Put me in the corner an let me think about how to get away with it. I was raised to fear a belt as was my parents an there parents an my religious beliefs tell me that my kids should do the same.

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
I think I am raising a feral child! When did you start disciplining them? And, how? Mine is going to be 2 in a week... and... I think maybe we are just having one of those weeks, but I'm at my wits end! We do time outs, but I don't think they really help. And if I did them for all the things he does he would spend all day in Time Out. Is that okay? I usually try to distract him from whatever he isn't supposed to do, and give him a short explanation. He is just getting more and more stubborn, and now he does the exact opposite of what I say. And... I hear you on the "leaving the grocery store / restaurant" bit... we do that. A lot.

Not that he is always bad, but this week...

Ok, I know I am going to get a lot of flack for this, because I know it is just not "done" now. However, on the bottom of that 2 year old there is this little thing called the reset switch. You give it one swift wack and you will get his attention. He'll be shocked but not hurt (I'm sure he's wearing a diaper or pull up of some sort). The reset switch must be reserved for times when the child is emotionally out of control and obviously defiant. Once it is applied, and shock has set in, you can apply time out followed by a cuddle and explaination of punishment. Reset switches are never to be flipped in anger, a deep breath should always be taken before you flip them.

Now when the child is older, more self aware and in control of their emotions and ability to communicate, the reset switch is flipped in a different manner, but that isn't the situation here.

Lany

No flack here... I hit the reset switch today... I still feel guilty, but I think it was an important one. We were going to go play next to grandma's house and saw a big stray dog. I told him we couldn't go near the dog because it might bite, and we'd have to play in the yard. He said "NO" and took off running for the dog. I had to actually chase him down.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
This is exactly WHY mine are so well behaved and complimented. I haven't had to use this in YEARS because I got them when they were young. I have only been mom to them since ages 4 and 10, but they learned what was expected early on and complied soon after. Just because they are stepkids hasn't ever gotten them any slack either. If I didn't love them...I'd never discipline them. Youngest is now 13 and oldest is 18. BOTH are growing into nice young ladies. Niece is the same way, though she still occasionally gets a light pop as a reminder. She's 5 and I can take her to a nice restaurant and she can order her own food and remember her manners with please, thank you, yes or no ma'am or sir even on a bad day. It helps to teach them early!!

 

[DuckLady]

Quote:

Please come and clean off my computer screen.

 

[rufus]

Obnoxious kids in restaurants seem to be an unavoidable reality now days.

If we opt for the non smoking section, we get the screaming brat section. It is better to choke on the second hand smoke than to put up with the brats. And then we get ugly looks from people waiting for a table in the smoking section because we are not smoking.

In restaurants, it is only for an hours or so. But on cross country flights it is eight hours of torture. Sometimes I think "that kid is really lucky birth control is not retroactive."

Rufus