Former Cosmo editor's genius trick to ensure her kids behave at restaurants.

Any parent knows that the sure-fire way to challenge your kids’ ability to sit still is to take them to a packed restaurant.

Outings usually call for a combination of bribery, threats and distractions to keep kids behaving.

Former Cosmopolitan magazine editor Bronwyn McCahon knows this as well as any parent and has shared a genius trick that she says “works a treat” at restaurants.

Listen: There’s an Italian restaurant that gives incentives to parents to keep their kids quiet.

The mum to six-year-old Harper, Grace, four, and two-year-old Theo told her Instagram followers on Sunday that she found an old family tradition was a great way to get her children to behave.

“Growing up we always did family trivia night every Sunday night,” McCahon wrote.

“Dad would ask all of us kids age-appropriate questions and the prize for a correct answer was a cube of Violet Crumble (remember when you could buy them in bags?).”

Like the Von Trapps of Bondi ???? (hit the link ☝????️)

A post shared by Bronwyn Mccahon (@bronwynmccahon) on Dec 14, 2016 at 11:22pm PST

The mum-of-three said she had “such fond memories” of the tradition, she decided to start it with her kids.

“Sometimes we even take our questions and chocolate eggs to restaurants if we’re eating out.”

“Works a treat getting them to behave.”

Sounds good to us: simple, effective and fun.

A post shared by Bronwyn Mccahon (@bronwynmccahon) on Mar 4, 2017 at 11:46pm PST

We’re not the only ones who are planning to pass this parenting trick off as our own, judging from the positive feedback the post received.

“So cute Bron, stealing this,” commented one follower.

“What an awesome idea!” wrote another.

Girls ????

A post shared by Bronwyn Mccahon (@bronwynmccahon) on Nov 12, 2016 at 3:48pm PST

Meanwhile, we’re still feeling inspired by a cute family tradition shared by another well-known mum.

Kim Kardashian recently shared that she writes letters to her children, North, three, and one-year-old Saint, each year, “reflecting on the year we had together & fun memories”.

The reality star tweeted that she plans to give the letters to her kids when they turn 21.

You can download the latest episode of Mamamia’s parenting podcast This Glorious Mess on iTunes or listen here:

Do you have a family tradition?