6 Ground Rules for Kids in Restaurants

Jonathan Bender knows you're not thrilled he brings his young kid to restaurants, but he's not going to stop eating out, either. Therefore, he's come up with 6 ground rules— adapted from swimming rules—which he lays out at Fat City. Here's a sample:

• 5 to 6 pm is open swim: If you're taking your kid out, do it during this hour. "It's typically easier to feed kids earlier, and this leaves the rest of the evening to the general populace. We could even have a transitional half-hour from 6 to 6:30."
• No running allowed: Pretty self-explanatory.

• Three whistles, clear the pool: After three fouls (a screaming fit, food on the floor, talking to other diners, etc.) "we're out of there."
• Children under 5 must be supervised by a responsible person: Know your kid, parents, and recognize "that even on a given night, the best kid can be poorly behaved."

Read the rest here.
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