In today’s parenting landscape, “restaurant training” is having a moment. And it’s not just about teaching table manners. Families are rethinking how to prepare kids for dining out, aiming to replace screen time and mealtime meltdowns with conversation, calm, and confidence.

If your nanny family is embracing this goal and has asked for your support, you have a unique opportunity to reinforce a habit that makes a big impact outside of the home. Restaurant training as a nanny means helping kids build life skills that go far beyond the table, like patience, adaptability, and social awareness.

So, how can you support your nanny family through this mealtime mission? Here are three smart, respectful ways to be their biggest ally.

1) Practice at Home (and Make It Fun)

The first step in restaurant training as a nanny often starts at home. While real restaurant outings may or may not be a daily occurrence, the mindset and skills can be practiced every day during meals at home.

Here’s how to help:

• Set the scene: Mimic a restaurant-style setup by having the kids sit at the table, use napkins, and wait to be served.
• Introduce wait time: Even adding a short delay before bringing out food helps children build patience.
• Practice manners: Model and encourage saying “please,” “thank you,” and using indoor voices.
• Limit distractions: Keep toys and tablets away during meals. Encourage eye contact and simple conversations to simulate a dining-out experience.

To make it engaging, turn it into a game, “restaurant role play,” where the child takes turns being the customer or the server. This can build excitement and comfort around the process.

2) Reinforce Consistency Outside the Home

As your nanny family takes their kids to restaurants, your job is to help extend those expectations into real-world settings. That might mean joining them on outings or helping the kids prepare ahead of time.

Here’s what to try:

• Talk it through before the outing: Let the kids know what’s expected: sitting at the table, trying new foods, and staying engaged without screens.
• Pack backup items (if needed): If parents are on board, small coloring books, stickers, or quiet toys can be a great tool for younger children, not as a reward, but as part of a calm activity during wait times.
• Offer praise and gentle guidance: Acknowledge positive behaviors with encouragement, and redirect gently when needed.

When you support restaurant training as a nanny, you’re showing kids that expectations don’t change based on who’s around. Consistency is key, and caregivers and parents are on the same team.

3) Communicate and Align with the Parents

At Westside Nannies, we believe that successful nanny-family relationships are built on strong communication. Restaurant training is no different. Check in with your nanny family about their goals and approach so you can reinforce the same habits and language.

Questions to ask:

• “What’s your biggest goal for restaurant outings?”
• “What rules would you like enforced surrounding screens or toys at the table?”
• “Are there certain behaviors you want me to focus on or discourage?”

When you’re clear on expectations, you can provide consistent support and help the kids navigate both structured and flexible dining environments. And if something isn’t working, like a child feeling anxious or overwhelmed, communicate that, too.

Restaurant training as a nanny is about so much more than just quiet dinners. It’s a valuable chance to support your nanny family in raising adaptable, respectful, and socially confident children.

By practicing at home, staying consistent during outings, and maintaining open communication with parents, you become an essential part of this effort, helping to turn mealtime into a meaningful learning experience.

And yes, there will still be hiccups, imperfect moments, and unexpected circumstances. But with your support and patience, those will turn into teachable moments and, ultimately, small victories that help children grow.