Taking the Kid out to Eat

Posted by Dacia on Apr 5, 2010 in Theories, Tips and Tricks | 3 comments

In an article in this month’s Kiwi magazine, one mom explains her reasonings for deciding not to take her children out to eat. She says she’s too stressed to enjoy her meals. Her kids get bored, make a mess and are noisy, all of which puts her on edge. We’ve all been there.

But I like taking Neko out to eat. I’ve been doing it since she was tiny. She’s dined in some of Austin’s finest restaurants from back when I counted her age in months and she spent entire meals napping in her infant car seat. Sometimes she gets a little noisy. Sometimes she gets bored. But the more we do it, the better she and I both get at dining out together.

Neko is just newly two years old, but she’s apparently a seasoned fine diner for her age. And I’ve never received nasty looks or scornful comments about her behavior. I’ve never strapped her into her car seat after a stressful meal claiming to never dine out again.

If practice makes perfect, then it seems the way to enjoy a pleasant dinner out with your child is to take them out to eat often. Neko has had many mid-grocery store meltdowns, but I don’t stop taking her with me when I go grocery shopping because I can’t. I’m a stay-at-home mom and I’m not about to get someone to babysit every week so I can get food. I time the trips when Neko’s not too tired, I provide distractions, and I let my daughter know that I expect her to be good and not throw a tantrum because she’s bored.

I think that’s what most parents teach their children. That sometimes we get in the car and end up at the park, but sometimes we have to stop and buy paper towels or whatever, but either way, we all need to keep it together.

I’ve made a list of a few tips that have helped us have successful family dinners out with kid in tow. Hopefully they can help some parents, and I’d love to hear any other ideas. And if anyone wants to tell me that children don’t belong in fine dining establishments, just save it. I’ve been bothered by tables full of loud, drunken adults many more times than I’ve been disturbed by rambunctious children out to eat, and I’m not about to suggest that restaurants stop serving alcohol. If the potential of hearing a loud conversation or a few seconds of a whining toddler bother you so much, I suggest you stay home to eat. It’s much, much quieter.

Tips on Taking Your Child out to Eat

BRING TOYS
In the Kiwi article, the writer discusses one stressful meal at which a waiter had to supply her two year old with straws to play with while he waited for his food. Taking a kid out to eat without bringing along several forms of entertainment is a recipe for disaster.

Know what’s cheaper than three hours of babysitting? Mrs. Potato Head. Or a new sticker book. So grab some new toys and put them in a special bag that only comes out in restaurants. Keeping the toys fresh will help hold your child’s attention longer.

SAFTEY IN NUMBERS
We recently had a very lengthy dinner out to celebrate my father’s birthday. My whole family was there, and as a result, I don’t think I even saw Neko all night. She was extremely happy traveling from lap to lap throughout the meal.

By bringing along family and friends, you can take turns entertaining your child. If your kid gets bored with you, handing her to someone else might buy you enough time to finish your meal with both hands.

BE PREPARED TO GO OUTSIDE
Another good reason for having multiple dining partners is that someone is usually free to take bored little ones on a quick walk. I like to choose restaurants that have neat patios or are in lively shopping areas so I have something I can take Neko to look at if I need to.

GET THE RIGHT TABLE
If the weather is nice, sit outside. This provides more distractions for kiddos (birds! people walking!) and usually offers a louder, more relaxed environment.

I always mention that I’m bringing a kid when I make reservations. That way if the host has a certain part of the restaurant where he likes to stick parties with kids, he can put us there.

BRING SNACKS
Some servers see a kid at a table and go out of their way to bring out the little one’s food first, even offering snacks to keep a child appeased. But this isn’t always the case. Sometimes dining out takes time, so it’s not a bad idea to have some crackers in your bag just in case the hunger-induced grouchies set in.

CLEAN UP
This seems like a no-brainer, but clean up if your kid makes a mess. My mom recently took Neko and I out for a nice lunch and we were shocked to see the mess left at the table next to us by a toddler and her mom. You don’t have to bring along a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels, but sweep up crumbs and pick up any napkins or utensils that end up on the floor.