Let four-year-olds order from menus themselves, says head

PARENTS should let four-year-old children order for themselves in a restaurant to build their confidence, a leading headmaster has said.

Mothers and fathers can be too quick to speak for their children in situations where they could speak for themselves, according to Martin Stott, head of Old Hall School near Telford, Shropshire.

If children are able to converse with adults by the time they are four years old, they will be more likely to thrive at school, he said.

“Children do best at school and in life generally if they feel happy and supported as they become ever more independent,” Mr Stott said.

“We feel that the children who do best and who settle the quickest are the ones who have been gently encouraged to use their own voice and experienced opportunities to think for themselves and find their own voices.”

He said that youngsters should be encouraged to make eye contact while speaking to waiters and ask them questions about a dish such as what ingredients are used.

As well as encouraging their children to order their own food in a restaurant, parents could also allow them to speak to a GP about how they are feeling, Mr Stott added.

“I would also encourage parents to let children check in at the doctor’s surgery,” he said. “It is important, even at four or five years old, that they know their full name and date of birth, and using that information in a safe setting like this can really encourage confidence.

“Being able to explain how they feel to a doctor sets off appointments really well and parents can then add in the detail.”

Old Hall School, which charges up to £13,620 a year and caters for pupils aged four to 11, was founded in 1845.

By the age of seven, pupils at the school are expected to have taken part in various music and drama performances as well as a poetry recital event.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s director of education has previously said that exposing children as young as three to Shakespeare builds confidence.

Jacqui O’Hanlon said that exposing pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to complex language allows them to become as eloquent as their privately-educated peers.

‘The children who do best have been encouraged to use their own voice and think for themselves’