Dinner Out

Cheesecake Factory is a great restaurant for teaching kids how to eat out! The menu stays the same so your child can always find something to eat. They can order the same thing every time, but the menu has a ridiculous amount of variety, so the rest of the family is not stuck eating the same four choices.  The restaurant is loud so you’re unlikely to stand out like a sore thumb if your kids make noise. They are busy so the waitstaff wants to move you through your meal quickly and get the next party seated; this is wonderful for kids with short attention spans.

Eating out at a restaurant can feel daunting even for parents of typical kids.  As always, I encourage you to try if you think you might be able to make it work.  It’s something that can make parents’ lives much easier in the long run, even though I know it is tough to teach the kids how to behave.

Tips

1. Keep it short and sweet. Ordering appetizers lengthens the whole process.
2. Chain restaurants are great for their consistency.
3. Bring fidget toys, crayons, or distractions.
4. Look at the menu before you leave so you know what you want.
5. Do the same for your child. Sit with them at home and ask what they want. If they can choose it on their communication device, you can teach them to use the “recents” button to order themselves at the restaurant.  They can even show the server their ipad with the order sentence if it is too loud to hear the ipad.
6. Be positive. Let the kids know when they’re doing a great job.
7. Don’t worry too much about being perfect but keep an eye on what might need work and prep them before the next dinner out.
8. You can give your child a visual aid that reminds them to stay in their seat, keep a calm body and a quiet voice. Leave it right on the table where they can see it and you can point to it during the meal.

One Last Thing

If the meal goes well, maybe order dessert.  Cheesecake factory usually brings it quickly. If your kids are getting antsy, and you sense that your time is running out, you can order your dessert to go.

Enjoy your cheesecake! Wink!