November 13, 2019
You love going out to restaurants with your family. There are undeniable perks to treating the family to a meal. No dishes. New foods. Old favorites. Everyone has a good time, and you’re happy that the family can slow down and connect. For me, it’s an escape from our frenetic, screen-watching world. But this simple activity--going out to eat as a family--can seem overwhelming, or even hopeless, if you have a child on the spectrum. It could be the noise. The waiting. Food selectivity issues. Too many choices. In response, you try all kinds of things: bring their favorite (fill in the blank), let them play on your phone, anything… But a couple of full-blown meltdowns--and you find yourself choosing not to go to dinner as much (if ever). So what can you do about it when your child on the spectrum has challenges when you go out for dinner?
Jordan Brown
AnswersNow Team
You love going out to restaurants with your family. There are undeniable perks to treating the family to a meal. No dishes. New foods. Old favorites. Everyone has a good time, and you’re happy that the family can slow down and connect. For me, it’s an escape from our frenetic, screen-watching world. But this simple activity--going out to eat as a family--can seem overwhelming, or even hopeless, if you have a child on the spectrum. It could be the noise. The waiting. Food selectivity issues. Too many choices. In response, you try all kinds of things: bring their favorite (fill in the blank), let them play on your phone, anything… But a couple of full-blown meltdowns--and you find yourself choosing not to go to dinner as much (if ever). So what can you do about it when your child on the spectrum has challenges when you go out for dinner?
First things first. These five tips will help you reduce restaurant anxiety for your family:
If all goes well, you have a “win” under your belt and a good foundation for future success. Keep everything the same for a couple of visits and then build in small “delays.” For instance, the next time you arrive, arrange it so that you “wait” one minute before the food arrives.We hope this helps!
Click here to connect with your own expert--and learn more tips that can help you wherever you are with whatever your challenge may be.
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