zeldapsychology wrote:
Hey I have a 2 year old nephew and I was curious if you had tips for the following experiences.
1) In a restraunt he has a VERY small attention span (unless he wants to eat) he's looking around wants to move around etc. (as in not sit and eat) (His mom's friend suggested a Gameboy LOL! Sure at that young age you can't expect them to sit still but any tips to get him to not get all whiny?
Restaurants at this age are ALWAYS going to be a hit or miss experience, and everyone MUST accept that and be prepared for it. Yes, you do your best to keep him quietly entertained, but some days he just isn't going to be able to do it. What worked best for my son was the fact that he LOVED eating at restaurants, so the simple statement was this: "if you insist on whinning we are going to have to leave immediately. You get one more warning, and then we go." And you follow through, even if that means paying for uneaten food. Its considered an investment in learning what is expected at a restaurant.
If he doesn't LIKE restaurants well, then, I strongly recommend not taking him to any for a while. Kids grow and change; it won't be become a life sentence.
_________________
Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).