Welcome to "What Would You Do" Wednesday's here on the Knowledge Safari Blog!
We've all been there. Out for a meal at a restaurant and there is a screaming/crying/generally acting up child that is interrupting the mood...well what if that child was yours? What Would You Do?
This can of course happen whether or not your child has special needs! How do you handle this situation? If you have any tips to share, please do so in the comments section! We can't wait to see what you have to say.
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Dr Blood Yearly visit
2 months ago
Posts
3 comments:
If I had a child that was acting out while eating at a public place, I would remove the child and take him or her to our vehicle or some other convienant place. I'd that child s/he is in time out until s/he is ready to show me he s/he can behave. If s/he says s/he is ready to behave, than I'd have him/her practice doing whatever it was s/he was supposed to be doing, i.e. running in aisles (practice walking up and down)... several times. Then return to the table.
Eventually, the child will stop the poor behavior. And the child is rewarded for completing the proper behavior rather than just being rewarded for sitting nicely/quietly for ten minutes in the car which isn't the point of what a parent is trying to teach the child. :)
I have "been" there more times than I could possibly recount. At a restaurant, the grocery store or at a family function, my advice to myself has always been - stay calm and do not let stares or rude words hurt me. I do not always follow that advice, often becoming flustered, frustrated and teary myself.
But, there have been many times I have realized the humour in the situation - a ragged Mom dragging her chubby screaming 4 year old son down the grocery ailse towards the door is not a scene you see everyday!
If we are out at a nice, sit down restauant and I sense a meltdown on the horizon, I feel it is always best to leave before the behaviour escalates. Get the child(ren) to the door, pay the bill and relocate to a quiet, less stressful environment.
Most often I try to leave my boys with a relative and thus detour a possible meltdown. They are usually happier to play in a familiar, safe environment opposed to shopping or doing errands.
But, leaving them is not an always an option.
I suggest the following mantra - "Stay calm, breathe, try to laugh and deal with one meltdown at a time."
Sorry, I am really rambling on (think I wandered off topic) ... thanks for letting me comment!
- Elizabeth (www.asofawithaview.blogspot.com)
Thanks for your comments!
Elizabeth - we think "stay calm and breathe..." is a good mantra for many situations! :)
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