My mom let my younger brother throw mashed potatoes at her and play with ketchup just because he was being quiet while they were at a restaurant. I always thought this was funny until I entered into motherhood myself. Now I can’t believe she allowed that, but at the same time, I understand that desperate times call for desperate measures. Needless to say, I’m sure we all have experienced a restaurant fail with our children and have learned a lesson or two from it. Eating out with kids can be a stressful situation, but I’ve found some tips from local moms to help avoid most future fails.
The age of the child makes a difference and there are definitely stages easier than others for dining in restaurants with kids. For instance, when we had our first baby, we took her everywhere with us. Babies sleep a lot, even in noisy restaurants. Keep them in their cozy car seat and you’re set! They may need a bottle or want to nurse, but as long as you’re prepared for that, babies tend to be pretty easy to haul along. However, not all restaurants have changing tables, so be prepared.
When babies enter the baby food stage, I find it easier to try to feed Baby before you head out, then have quiet toys to entertain them with. If you’re unable to do that, try to feed Baby right after ordering so he can play while you eat HOT food! Next is the mobility stage, which presents the challenge of a newly active baby/toddler not wishing to sit still for long. Try bringing special restaurant-only toys and/or snacks to keep his interest at the table. Perhaps pick a family friendly location where it’s acceptable to let your child walk around before dinner arrives.
Once children are older and behavior expectations can be set higher, you have more options of how to entertain them quietly while sitting at the table. Daphne Gaff, Overland Park mother of two, says, “I have a restaurant bag that I try to leave in the car. It has a coloring book, crayons and other little activities and toys in it that they only see and use at restaurants. It keeps their attention until their food comes.”
Prepping your children before you arrive can help too. Tell them you’re going on a family date or going to a real life tea party! Role playing at home may help, as well as giving children their own notebook and pencil for pretending to be the server. Obviously, children love technology as much as their parents, so restaurants with multiple televisions can be diverting, as can handing over your phone or tablet.
Younger children are probably not going to be able to polish off their own meal quite yet. Our daughter was closer to 4 before I ordered a separate meal for her. Daphne Gaff suggests, “To save money, my two littles usually split a meal, and I order enough food for myself to share with them. I always have snacks with me too.”
However, Emily Hilley, Olathe mother of two, suggests, “Lots of food. We have started ordering the kids’ meals as soon as we get settled and then ask the waiter to bring their meals as soon as they are ready. It keeps our kids entertained, and once they are done eating, we've usually gotten our meals and they snack on that.”
Keep in mind your child’s schedule to ensure the best possible situation. If you are in the danger zone, be prepared to make an escape if need be. There was a period of time when it wasn’t worth taking my two preschoolers to a restaurant at all. That means more date nights! Missy Landis, Olathe mother of two, adds, “We try to avoid any place we know we will have an extended wait, especially if it is more geared to adults, to avoid making the natives too restless.”
Stephanie Loux is the mother of Layla, 4, and Mason, 3, and writes from her home in Olathe.