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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
No screens, no screams: Here's how modern moms are ‘restaurant training' their kids to crush their zombie tablet behavior
When it comes to NYC dining, mom Jamie Boxer doesn't kid around. The Brooklynite is one in the expanding pack of parents proudly 'restaurant training' their tykes to eat, drink, be merry and behave in public spaces — strictly sans digital distractions or temper tantrums. 'I love New York City dining. We have some of the best food in the world, and I want my kids to join me in that love,' Boxer, 36, of Williamsburg, told The Post. 'If kids learn how to enjoy an outing without screens at early ages, they'll know how to talk and connect in-person as they get older,' explained Boxer, a speech pathologist and co-content creator of @Table4Tots, a review of Gotham's kid-friendly grub hubs. 'That's the whole point of going out to eat.' The millennial connoisseur of choice chow, a married mom of two under age 6, often brings her brood along when patronizing local hotspots like Lilia, or the swank Eataly eateries. And far past city limits, other foodie mothers and fathers of Beta babies, Alphas and even younger Gen Zers are eating up the restaurant training trend, too. From the U.S. to the UK and beyond, proactive parents are endeavoring to reverse the ills of the dreaded 'iPad Kid' curse. It's a plague to preschoolers and up — youngsters who routinely spend countless hours staring at tablets and phones, without developing social, mental and emotional strengths. Researchers recently deemed the high-tech codependence a 'deleterious' cycle that can trigger behavioral problems in children with excessive screen time privileges. It's a bone of contention that causes parents to spend approximately 96 hours fighting with their kids each year, per a recent survey. More troubling, two-thirds (67%) of the adults polled fear they're missing 'precious moments' with their minis due to screen time addictions. And those fleeting family memories are often made around the breakfast, lunch or dinner table. Mariah Grumet Humbert, a Manhattan-based etiquette trainer, says moms and dads planning to ban iPads at mealtime — especially while dining out — should begin weaning kiddos off of gadgets at home. 'Etiquette isn't about being stuffy or fancy, it's about giving kids tools, not rules,' Humbert, of Old Soul Etiquette, told The Post. 'Play restaurant at home and make it fun.' 'Teach them to set the table so they understand the placement of things, place a napkin on their lap, sit properly at the table,' she continued. 'Talk about the common courtesies of conversation, using inside voices, making eye contact, speaking politely to the waitstaff and waiting to eat until everyone is served.' 'If they mess up, empower them,' urged Humbert, suggesting parents liken manners to magic. 'Gently remind them to use their table superpowers.' Bronx mom Rosdaly Ramirez's three sons, ages 7 to 2, are bite-size etiquette superstars. But they didn't start that way. 'We used to give our kids the phones so they'd sit still, but we realized the distractions were taking away from family time,' admitted Ramirez, 34, of her and hubby Ruben. The duo relied on screens so much that technology became a 'babysitter' to their boys. So, they unplugged their home TV and vetoed electronics at their nearby nosheries. 'Now, we talk and play games like eye-spy because it's interactive; it makes them pay attention to their surroundings and get to know the world around them,' the social worker said. 'The more exposure they have to the world, even at a restaurant, the better prepared they'll be to navigate it with confidence and self-awareness,' she added. Danielle Currie agrees. The Jacksonville, Florida-dwelling married mother of three — a 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old twins — even gives her tots pre-dinner pep talks about restaurant etiquette before hitting Michelin-level hotspots. 'We'll have a little chat in the car, letting them know the behavior we expect,' said Currie, 32, a bridal boutique owner and critic of the gentle parenting movement — an overly permissive rearing style. 'Our kids behave way differently than kids with gentle parents. They're happy with boundaries.' 'We didn't grow up bringing iPads to dinner,' she added. 'We don't want that for our kids.' The same goes for Ashley McCarley — the Alabama mama would rather her bunch be bored. 'Boredom forces them to get creative, engage in conversation, read the menu and order their own food,' said McCarley, 30, whose restaurant-trained trio, ages 11, 4 and 2, boasts sophisticated palates that prefer steak and crab legs over chicken fingers and fries. 'Creativity birthed out of boredom causes them to make up games that we can play as a family while we wait for our food,' she said, lauding restaurant training as her biggest parenting flex. 'They're learning life skills and spending quality time together versus staring at their individual iPads.' Beyond U.S. borders in Toronto, mom Tory Halpin's pups — ages 5, 4, 2, and 4 months old — don't even know iPads exist. 'We want our kids to exist in a world without virtual entertainment, and we teach them that it's impolite to be on screens at dinner,' said the 33-year-old Canadian parenting influencer — admitting, however, that following her own rules can be challenging. 'It's hard not reaching for my phone at the table, but my husband and I are setting an example,' Halpin laughed. 'If the kids catch us, they say, 'That's not polite.'' Hannah Morgan, from London, began training her daughter Alma early — before she even said her first word. 'We took her to a restaurant at 10 days old,' said the momfluencer, 27. 'The first step in our training was to introduce her to noisy, busy places, with different people and smells, so she becomes comfortable in restaurant environments.' And now that Alma's reached those terrible twos, she's the perfect pint-size patron at the British capital's upscale bistros, from Bardo St. James's to Gordon Ramsay restaurants. 'The best parenting advice I was given was, 'Make your baby slot into your life instead of slotting into theirs,'' said Morgan. 'My baby fits in at any restaurant, and people are always so impressed how well she behaves without [digital] distractions.' Meanwhile, back in Midtown Manhattan, Myka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, is cheering on the table trend — she's even launched a 'Mini Manners' series for tots under age 6, designed to teach children the do's and don'ts of public dining. 'Restaurant training kids gives parents their social lives back,' the protocol pro, a mom of two, told The Post. 'There's less stress and more fun without screens.' Meier was happy to share her top 10 tips for restaurant training your tribe with Post readers — and here they are. How to restaurant train your kids, according to an expert Define 'restaurant etiquette' to kids as kindness and respect for others in a shared space Praise kids for sitting properly, using napkins rather than their sleeves, at the table. Show kids how to eat neatly on their plates and properly hold utensils, how to make meaningful eye contact during conversations and while ordering Emphasize the importance of saying 'please' and 'thank you' at the table Don't be afraid to bring newborns to restaurants; start training them early Step outside for a quick breather if you're kid is having a tough time For teens, reward their good etiquette by letting them choose the next restaurant or dessert spot Kids are mimicking your behavior, so make sure to mind your restaurant manners. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Modern moms are ‘restaurant training' their kids to crush their zombie tablet behavior
When it comes to NYC dining, mom Jamie Boxer doesn't kid around. The Brooklynite is one in the expanding pack of parents proudly 'restaurant training' their tykes to eat, drink, be merry and behave in public spaces — strictly sans digital distractions or temper tantrums. 'I love New York City dining. We have some of the best food in the world, and I want my kids to join me in that love,' Boxer, 36, of Williamsburg, told The Post. Advertisement 18 Boxer, a NYC kid-friendly restaurant tastemaker from Williamsburg, says it's important to begin teaching children restaurant etiquette at a young age. Courtesy Jamie Boxer 'If kids learn how to enjoy an outing without screens at early ages, they'll know how to talk and connect in-person as they get older,' explained Boxer, a speech pathologist and co-content creator of @Table4Tots, a review of Gotham's kid-friendly grub hubs. 'That's the whole point of going out to eat.' The millennial connoisseur of choice chow, a married mom of two under age 6, often brings her brood along when patronizing local hotspots like Lilia, or the swank Eataly eateries. Advertisement And far past city limits, other foodie mothers and fathers of Beta babies, Alphas and even younger Gen Zers are eating up the restaurant training trend, too. 18 Boxer says she and mom-friend Carly Emanuel, founders of @Table4Tots, routinely expose their kids to fine dining hotspots in NYC, expanding their palates and strengthening their social skills. Courtesy Jamie Boxer 18 Rather than electronic tablets and cell phones, Boxer encourages her kiddos to engage in creative play and meaningful conversation while dining out. Courtesy Jamie Boxer From the U.S. to the UK and beyond, proactive parents are endeavoring to reverse the ills of the dreaded 'iPad Kid' curse. Advertisement It's a plague to preschoolers and up — youngsters who routinely spend countless hours staring at tablets and phones, without developing social, mental and emotional strengths. 18 Experts have advised parents against granting excessive screen time, warning that prolonged digital exposure could trigger behavioral issues. sharafmaksumov – Researchers recently deemed the high-tech codependence a 'deleterious' cycle that can trigger behavioral problems in children with excessive screen time privileges. It's a bone of contention that causes parents to spend approximately 96 hours fighting with their kids each year, per a recent survey. More troubling, two-thirds (67%) of the adults polled fear they're missing 'precious moments' with their minis due to screen time addictions. Advertisement And those fleeting family memories are often made around the breakfast, lunch or dinner table. 18 Humbert, a Big Apple etiquette trainer, teaches tots proper restaurant manners with fun and encouragement. Old Soul Etiquette Mariah Grumet Humbert, a Manhattan-based etiquette trainer, says moms and dads planning to ban iPads at mealtime — especially while dining out — should begin weaning kiddos off of gadgets at home. 'Etiquette isn't about being stuffy or fancy, it's about giving kids tools, not rules,' Humbert, of Old Soul Etiquette, told The Post. 'Play restaurant at home and make it fun.' 'Teach them to set the table so they understand the placement of things, place a napkin on their lap, sit properly at the table,' she continued. 'Talk about the common courtesies of conversation, using inside voices, making eye contact, speaking politely to the waitstaff and waiting to eat until everyone is served.' 'If they mess up, empower them,' urged Humbert, suggesting parents liken manners to magic. 'Gently remind them to use their table superpowers.' Bronx mom Rosdaly Ramirez's three sons, ages 7 to 2, are bite-size etiquette superstars. Advertisement But they didn't start that way. 'We used to give our kids the phones so they'd sit still, but we realized the distractions were taking away from family time,' admitted Ramirez, 34, of her and hubby Ruben. 18 Mom of three Rosdaly Ramirez (above with her husband Ruben and their trio of children, Lucas, Calvin and Noel) says she wants her sons to develop strong social skills as kids, hoping the behaviors will benefit them for a lifetime. J.C. Rice for 18 The millennial engages her boys in dinnertime conversations, teaching them to clearly and properly communicate without digital distractions. J.C. Rice for Advertisement 18 Ramirez said she and Ruben got rid of their TV shortly after the pandemic, fearing their flock was becoming overly dependent on the big screen. J.C. Rice for The duo relied on screens so much that technology became a 'babysitter' to their boys. So, they unplugged their home TV and vetoed electronics at their nearby nosheries. 'Now, we talk and play games like eye-spy because it's interactive; it makes them pay attention to their surroundings and get to know the world around them,' the social worker said. Advertisement 'The more exposure they have to the world, even at a restaurant, the better prepared they'll be to navigate it with confidence and self-awareness,' she added. 18 Currie virally displayed her well-behaved brood online, enjoying a fancy meal at a posh restaurant sans iPads. Courtesy Danielle Currie Danielle Currie agrees. The Jacksonville, Florida-dwelling married mother of three — a 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old twins — even gives her tots pre-dinner pep talks about restaurant etiquette before hitting Michelin-level hotspots. Advertisement 'We'll have a little chat in the car, letting them know the behavior we expect,' said Currie, 32, a bridal boutique owner and critic of the gentle parenting movement — an overly permissive rearing style. 'Our kids behave way differently than kids with gentle parents. They're happy with boundaries.' 18 Currie says she wants her children to be kind, considerate diners who are able to function in public spaces without digital distractions. Courtesy Danielle Currie 18 Currie says she and her husband gently explain to their kids that bad behavior at a restaurant may result in consequences. Courtesy Danielle Currie 18 The Florida mom says her well-mannered tyke enjoys spending quality family time over a top-tier meal at least once a week. Courtesy Danielle Currie 'We didn't grow up bringing iPads to dinner,' she added. 'We don't want that for our kids.' The same goes for Ashley McCarley — the Alabama mama would rather her bunch be bored. 'Boredom forces them to get creative, engage in conversation, read the menu and order their own food,' said McCarley, 30, whose restaurant-trained trio, ages 11, 4 and 2, boasts sophisticated palates that prefer steak and crab legs over chicken fingers and fries. 18 When McCarley's son was a toddler, she and her husband decided to forbid iPads at the dinner tables, hoping to show their kids the value of being fully present in social settings. Courtesy Ashley McCarley 18 McCarley says her trio's creativity shines when they're not zoned in on screens. Courtesy Ashely McCarley 18 The millennial lauds restaurant training the kids as her biggest parenting flex. Courtesy Ashley McCarley 'Creativity birthed out of boredom causes them to make up games that we can play as a family while we wait for our food,' she said, lauding restaurant training as her biggest parenting flex. 'They're learning life skills and spending quality time together versus staring at their individual iPads.' Beyond U.S. borders in Toronto, mom Tory Halpin's pups — ages 5, 4, 2, and 4 months old — don't even know iPads exist. 'We want our kids to exist in a world without virtual entertainment, and we teach them that it's impolite to be on screens at dinner,' said the Canadian parenting influencer — admitting, however, that following her own rules can be challenging. 18 Halpin proudly keeps her kiddos off of screens, both at home and at restaurants, to ensure their overall well-being. Tory Halpin 18 The parenting content creator shares her restaurant-trained children enjoying screen-free, tantrum-free outings with her more than 157,000 Instagram followers. Tory Halpin 'It's hard not reaching for my phone at the table, but my husband and I are setting an example,' Halpin laughed. 'If the kids catch us, they say, 'That's not polite.'' Hannah Morgan, from London, began training her daughter Alma early — before she even said her first word. 'We took her to a restaurant at 10 days old,' said the momfluencer, 27. 'The first step in our training was to introduce her to noisy, busy places, with different people and smells, so she becomes comfortable in restaurant environments.' And now that Alma's reached those terrible twos, she's the perfect pint-size patron at the British capital's upscale bistros, from Bardo St. James's to Gordon Ramsay restaurants. 'The best parenting advice I was given was, 'Make your baby slot into your life instead of slotting into theirs,'' said Morgan. 'My baby fits in at any restaurant, and people are always so impressed how well she behaves without [digital] distractions.' Meanwhile, back in Midtown Manhattan, Myka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, is cheering on the table trend — she's even launched a 'Mini Manners' series for tots under age 6, designed to teach children the do's and don'ts of public dining. 18 Myka Meier, the mastermind behind Beaumont Etiquette, recently rolled out her 'Mini Manners' program dedicated to coaching little ones on proper restaurant behavior. Beaumont Etiquette 'Restaurant training kids gives parents their social lives back,' the protocol pro, a mom of two, told The Post. 'There's less stress and more fun without screens.' Meier was happy to share her top 10 tips for restaurant training your tribe with Post readers — and here they are. How to restaurant train your kids, according to an expert
West Australian
13-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Mark Smyth: How to save the young generation from mounting debt as buy now, pay later booms
If you ask the Gen Zs or Alphas in your life, you'll discover not only where they're shopping is different — TikTok is the new shopping centre and Google search — but the funds they're using to make purchases are also very different to millennials, Gen X and Boomers. Up against cost-of-living pressures, Gen Z and millennials are, concerningly, leaning heavily on low-cost credit models to support their spending. Where previous generations may have put something on lay-by, Gen Z buys now, pays later. In fact, 57 per cent of Gen Z and millennials report having used a buy now, pay later provider in 2024 — a 20 per cent surge for Gen Z from 2020, according to comparison site Finder. Their research also identified that 38 per cent of Gen Z and Gen Y admit to spending more than they earn, compared to 20 per cent of Boomers. At P&N Bank we see around one in 10 customers use post-pay services, with Gen Z some of the highest users. It can be really daunting to try and guide the young people in your life about how and when to spend their money, particularly when younger generations are spending in such different ways to other generations. When used appropriately, buy now, pay later services can help with managing payments through smaller amounts more often, rather than a larger lump sum. But hitting the sales using buy now, pay later can very quickly spiral into a daunting debt burden with devastating consequences over the long term. Failed payments attract a fee, digging an even deeper hole to climb out of. Late payments or accrued debt may be recorded on a person's credit score or even reported to a debt collector, impacting their ability to borrow money in the future. According to the Australian Finance Industry Association, Australians spent about $22.9 billion through buy now, pay later services in the 2023 financial year, with credit reporting agency Equifax determining roughly 5 per cent of 18 to 24-year-old buy now, pay later users were in arrears, potentially making it harder for them to buy homes down the track. So, how can we guide and support the young adults in our lives as best we can? It starts with a simple conversation before they hit 'complete purchase' on their next buy now, pay later item. You could ask them if they use buy now, pay later services, and if so, would they consider other payment methods first? Encourage them to use lay-by and pre-pay in instalments, so they are paying off their items before they have them in their hands. Ask if they understand the impact paying off another debt will have on their household budget — already strained budgets can fall apart under the weight of added debt. And importantly, get them to ask themselves, can they really afford it? If they must use post-pay options, make sure they have some tools up their sleeve to stay on top of their payment obligations, like paying ahead of time voluntarily, using a debit card, not a credit card and sticking to a budget. If they're already struggling with mounting buy now, pay later debts, they may consider debt consolidation — whether it's too many loans or losing track of repayments, simplifying them into one fixed personal loan could help lower overall fees and reduce interest charges. Their bank can help them with this. Thankfully there's new regulations that have just taken effect and will act as guard rails for users of buy now, pay later services. But not even the strongest regulations can take the place of guidance from a trusted person. If you or someone you know is facing financial difficulty, call your bank for support or get in touch with the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. Mark Smyth is chief retail banking officer at P&N Bank
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
28 Years Later 'Alpha' Chi Lewis-Parry Reacts To 1 Big Part Of The Film That's Got Everyone Talking
Even if you've not seen 28 Years Later yet, the chances are you're aware there's one big part of the film that's really got people talking. The sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later introduces new variants of the 'infected', including the so-called 'Slow-Los', more zombie-like beings who shuffle close to the floor in search of worms to eat, and 'Alphas' who are more physically dominant and powerful – and also have the unique trait of walking around completely nude. Because the film's protagonist Spike was played by teenager Alfie Williams, it was a requirement that all of this nudity be achieved through the use of prosthetics, with that of Chi Lewis-Parry, who plays Samson, really capturing people's attention. Chi – who was an MMA fighter before becoming an actor – recently spoke to GQ about the reception his character has received, enthusing: 'I'm here for it, man!' 'No matter how bizarre people's reactions might be, it's all part of the world we've created, and I'm proud of it,' he insisted. 'So if people want to talk about my willy, they can talk about my willy.' He also shared that while his first reaction to his prosthetic may have been 'that's gonna be out, just walking around', he and his colleagues quickly got used to it. 'To be honest, I was so involved in that character, that it wasn't anything I was really thinking about,' he claimed. 'That big swinging dong just happened to be a byproduct of Samson.' On why Danny Boyle chose for the 'infected' character to be so uniquely endowed, Chi offered: 'Danny is quite poetic in the way that he speaks, and he doesn't do things by accident. He's quite methodical. I find there's an art in that. '[Samson] is an evolved man who's been infected for the last 28 years, and a natural part of that evolution [is that] if he's growing in size, everything's gonna grow. So it's not surprising that his penis is very large.' Last month, Chi explained to Variety: 'There's a law that states, I think, because [Alfie is] a child, you're allowed to have nudity but it has to be fake nudity. It was to protect him. 'And, as well, I'm really friendly and am always hugging people. I wouldn't have been doing that if I was fully in the nip!' 28 Years Later's sequel, titled The Bone Temple, was shot simultaneously with the most recent film, with filmmaker Nia DaCosta on directing duties. It's not known yet whether Chi's character will appear in the follow-up, but what has been made clear is that it will expand more on 28 Years Later's mind-boggling final moments. Read Chi Lewis-Parry's full GQ interview here. 17 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets You Probably Didn't Know About How 28 Years Later Was Made 28 Years Later Viewers Are Still In Shock From That Teletubbies Callback In The Wild Final Scene 28 Years Later Director Danny Boyle Reveals Meaning Behind That Truly Wild Twist Ending
Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
At The Movies: Food for thought in 28 Years Later, My Sunshine a heartfelt coming-of-age drama
At The Movies: Food for thought in 28 Years Later, My Sunshine a heartfelt coming-of-age drama 28 Years Later (M18) 115 minutes, showing in cinemas ★★★★☆ The story: British director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland revisit the Rage Virus of 28 Days Later (2002) they created more than two decades earlier. Great Britain is now quarantined from the continent: who needs Brexit? A community, which survived the cannibalistic undead, has settled on a feudal fortress island connected to the mainland by a tidal causeway. Spike (Alfie Williams) is the boy hero of 28 Years Later, the third entry following 28 Weeks Later (2007) in the auteur zombie series. On his 12th birthday, his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) takes him on a manly rite-of-passage hunt on the mainland. It is his introduction to the ghastly Infected roving the wilderness. The blubbery belly-crawling humanoids are easy targets for his arrows. Not the Alphas: they have evolved to be faster, smarter, feral and near-unkillable. Spike, however, has heard rumours of a physician, and he is soon sneaking back outside the safe zone, determined to save his long-ailing mother (Jodie Comer). That the mythical doctor is a kook played by Ralph Fiennes would be an encounter worth any danger, even, possibly, the Alphas chasing him down to rip his head off with spinal column attached. The movie in all its punk-rock helter-skelter viscera was filmed using iPhones and amplified by military footage. What is the Rage Virus if not Boyle's parable of humanity eating itself alive with its anger? And violence here becomes an entryway into a moving rumination on mortality for Spike, an innocent who has never known disease or death. Wherever Hollywood director Nia DaCosta (The Marvels, 2023) leads him next in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the second in a new trilogy due in 2026, Boyle has reaffirmed himself as a vital innovator of a seminal horror lore. Hot take: There is food for thought, not just flesh-chomping frights. My Sunshine (M18) 90 minutes, opens exclusively at The Projector on June 26 ★★★☆☆ (From left) Kiara Nakanishi and Keitatsu Koshiyama in My Sunshine. PHOTO: THE PROJECTOR The story: During one winter in a Japanese island town, two adolescents pair up for an upcoming skating competition. Taipei Film Festival's 2024 Special Jury Prize winner will not be the usual underdog sports drama. My Sunshine is an understated movie constructed of glances. Takuya (Keitatsu Koshiyama), a shy schoolboy with a stutter, is with his ice hockey team at the local recreation centre when he sights figure skater Sakura (Kiara Nakanishi) elegantly gliding on the rink. He is spellbound. The older girl has eyes only for her coach Arakawa (Sosuke Ikematsu), who later sees Takuya clumsily attempting Sakura's manoeuvres and is moved to mentor him. A former skating champion, he also sees something of himself in Takuya's passion. The lad is so endearing that haughty Sakura, a rising star from big-city Tokyo, needs little persuasion from Arakawa to begin training with him for a mixed duo contest. They become a family. An excursion to a frozen lake is a joyous high as the threesome cavort madly and embrace tightly against the magic hour light. But then comes another, unhappier glance: Sakura espies Arakawa with his male partner. The idyll is over even before the season's snow has melted. Japanese writer-director Hiroshi Okuyama's sophomore feature had seemed just a sweet, nostalgic coming-of-age confection, one that is suddenly very grown-up and deeply sad in confronting Japanese society's conservative gender norms and homophobia. The sensitive performances play the emotions for real because they are: Okuyama based the screenplay on his experiences as a junior skater. Hot take: This youthful romance, slender though it is, holds heartfelt feelings, tender and sorrowful. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
