How can I teach my child good manners for a...

How can I teach my child good manners for a restaurant?

Many parents would like to take their children to a restaurant, but are afraid that tantrums, bad behaviour and bad manners will ruin a nice evening out.

There are two kinds of manners: the formal kind, and the ones that are related to other people’s feelings. Both are important, but while your child will learn both over time, it’s unrealistic to expect very young children to pay much attention to formality.

Your first course of action should be to choose a location that is child friendly. Too formal a venue will require your child to sit still, and be quiet, for long periods of time, and depending on your child’s developmental age, that might be asking too much.

Explain what you are going to be doing, and how you expect your child to behave, before you arrive at your chosen restaurant. Tell him or her that there will be yummy food, but that he or she will need to sit still for a while, and stay relatively quiet, so that the other people enjoying their meals can also have a good time.

Make sure that you are consistent. Stick to the rules you’ve set, and don’t let your child get away with things that you don’t like just because you are in public.

Last, but not least, understand that good manners take time to form. That means that you need to be focusing on manners at home too, all the time. Expecting your child to suddenly learn manners when you eat out is not realistic, if he or she does not have the same set of rules at home!

More questions

Computer games: can too much damage development?

As with most activities done in excess, too much time spent on computer games and console games can negatively affect your child's development.

How do I teach my preschooler table manners?

A preschooler may not be ready to learn the finer points of table manners, but they are old enough to understand the basics.

How do I get my two year old to stop picking her nose?

Young children who pick their noses incessantly may do so to relieve stress or boredom, or it’s may just be a nervous habit like nail biting. Many times, the child does not even realize they are doing it.

Encouraging spirituality: how can I make sure that my child grows up with a spiritual foundation?

If you want your child to grow up with a strong spiritual foundation, it’s never too young to start teaching, but remember to teach by example.

Telling lies: what to do when my preschooler tells a clear cut lie?

When you catch your preschooler telling a lie, it is natural to be worried. Parents may feel that when their child lies, it reflects on their parenting abilities.

How should I react when my child tells a lie?

When you catch your preschooler telling a lie, it is natural to be a bit upset. A parent may think that when their child lies, it reflects on their parenting skills.

How do I teach my child the art of conversation?

Get your child’s attention immediately by whispering to him - this let’s your child think that something fantastic is about to happen!

Can my child distinguish between male and female?

Four year olds generally recognise differences but can still get confused

How do I teach my child about the birds and the bees?

If you really do not know how to accurately explain the birds and the bees to your child, then it would be a good idea to invest in picture book. There are some great ones available, where the experts have done all the explaining for you.