Say No to Mealtime Mayhem:
Eating Out With Your Baby or
Toddler
Eating Out With Your Baby or
Toddler
Many parenting books advise against eating out with young
children. Their short attention span and need to be
involved in everything will mean a nightmare for you, they
say. They're wrong. We eat out regularly with our two year
old and have a wonderful time. Here are a few tips to make
sure that you can do it too.
First of all, make sure you choose a family-friendly
restaurant. Look out for easily accessible (and clean) high
chairs, a willingness to warm milk, free bibs and baby food
(available at some rest stops and motorway service
stations) and entertainment for your child in the form of
crayons and paper or a soft play area.
In case none of this is available, you need to take your
entertainment with you. Crayons and paper, an
etch-a-sketch or other drawing board toy and a couple of
books are often enough to distract your child from any
thoughts of mayhem.
Choose your time carefully. Ideally, you should arrive half
an hour or so before your child's regular mealtime, so that
their food arrives on time. And don't even think about going
out when your child is already tired - you'll be setting
yourself up for the evening from hell.
Children are bad at waiting, so you'll need a food backup in
case your order is late. Pack a box of raisins or snack bar.
Although you're not supposed to take food from outside
into eating establishments, if you politely explain that the
alternative is a screaming child, they'll definitely turn a blind
eye.
When placing your order, ask for your child's meal to be
delivered first. That way, you can do any cutting up that's
required and start the feeding process early and you'll be
free to focus on your own meal when it arrives.
Make dining out interesting for your child. Talk about what
you're going to order; point out what waiters and waitresses
are doing; take a tour of the salad bar; discuss whatever's
on the walls. Your child will be pleased to be included and
won't even think about having a meltdown.
Once you've finished your main meal, ask for your bill at
the same time as dessert. You'll want to make a quick
getaway once you've demolished a sweet treat, because by
then your little darling will be running out of patience.
We've been taking our daughter into restaurants before
she could sit up. At first she was in a car seat, then a high
chair, and now she can sit on a big chair (she's very proud
of that!) She can order her own food (with please and
thank you) and talk about what's happening. Don't think
she's a paragon of virtue, because she's not - she's a very
spirited two year old. But she enjoys eating out and
generally behaves well enough for us to stay in the
restaurant for an hour and a half or more. Since the
parenting books claim that half an hour is pushing it, we
don't think that's half bad. Why don't you try it, too?
children. Their short attention span and need to be
involved in everything will mean a nightmare for you, they
say. They're wrong. We eat out regularly with our two year
old and have a wonderful time. Here are a few tips to make
sure that you can do it too.
First of all, make sure you choose a family-friendly
restaurant. Look out for easily accessible (and clean) high
chairs, a willingness to warm milk, free bibs and baby food
(available at some rest stops and motorway service
stations) and entertainment for your child in the form of
crayons and paper or a soft play area.
In case none of this is available, you need to take your
entertainment with you. Crayons and paper, an
etch-a-sketch or other drawing board toy and a couple of
books are often enough to distract your child from any
thoughts of mayhem.
Choose your time carefully. Ideally, you should arrive half
an hour or so before your child's regular mealtime, so that
their food arrives on time. And don't even think about going
out when your child is already tired - you'll be setting
yourself up for the evening from hell.
Children are bad at waiting, so you'll need a food backup in
case your order is late. Pack a box of raisins or snack bar.
Although you're not supposed to take food from outside
into eating establishments, if you politely explain that the
alternative is a screaming child, they'll definitely turn a blind
eye.
When placing your order, ask for your child's meal to be
delivered first. That way, you can do any cutting up that's
required and start the feeding process early and you'll be
free to focus on your own meal when it arrives.
Make dining out interesting for your child. Talk about what
you're going to order; point out what waiters and waitresses
are doing; take a tour of the salad bar; discuss whatever's
on the walls. Your child will be pleased to be included and
won't even think about having a meltdown.
Once you've finished your main meal, ask for your bill at
the same time as dessert. You'll want to make a quick
getaway once you've demolished a sweet treat, because by
then your little darling will be running out of patience.
We've been taking our daughter into restaurants before
she could sit up. At first she was in a car seat, then a high
chair, and now she can sit on a big chair (she's very proud
of that!) She can order her own food (with please and
thank you) and talk about what's happening. Don't think
she's a paragon of virtue, because she's not - she's a very
spirited two year old. But she enjoys eating out and
generally behaves well enough for us to stay in the
restaurant for an hour and a half or more. Since the
parenting books claim that half an hour is pushing it, we
don't think that's half bad. Why don't you try it, too?
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Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and
editor. Sharon worked in publishing for 18 years, writing
articles and editing and designing books and magazines.
She has also lectured on journalism. For more information
or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com Read more
of Sharon's writing at her blog
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Hurley_Hall
editor. Sharon worked in publishing for 18 years, writing
articles and editing and designing books and magazines.
She has also lectured on journalism. For more information
or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com Read more
of Sharon's writing at her blog
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Hurley_Hall
By Sharon Hurley Hall
