we have our tot practice sitting in his seat while we're eating at home. He usually finishes his meal way before us, so he has to figure out how to entertain himself for 10-20 minutes. If we go to a restaurant, we'll also remember to bring some sort of small toy or snack to keep him occupied. That seems to help him understand expectations for meals out.
as a side note, I've noticed that he doesn't get as restless at buffet places (not that we go that often!), but it seems like all the people walking around turns out to be pretty entertaining for him.
totally agree - home first
we have our tot practice sitting in his seat while we're eating at home. He usually finishes his meal way before us, so he has to figure out how to entertain himself for 10-20 minutes. If we go to a restaurant, we'll also remember to bring some sort of small toy or snack to keep him occupied. That seems to help him understand expectations for meals out.
as a side note, I've noticed that he doesn't get as restless at buffet places (not that we go that often!), but it seems like all the people walking around turns out to be pretty entertaining for him.