Tips for eating out with the smitchiks
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- July
- 28
From pretty early on, we took Rafael to restaurants. He was very well-behaved until he became a toddler, and even then he so effectively charmed all waitstaff that they just smiled and cooed over him anyway.
And even at his worst, he was never too bad. Yeah, lots of Cheerios ended up on the floor, but he was’t flinging food at other tables or screaming or generally annoying other folks.
Then I saw this Dining Out Survival Guide For Parents on the Foodio54 blog and realized these tips were excellent, and perhaps things had gone as well as they had because we did most of these things.
Here are the tips Foodio54 suggested, along with my thoughts:
Tip #1: Go Out Often
This is a good idea, because the more you go out, the less unusual it is for the kids.This doesn’t mean you need to be spending a fortune on fancy dinners. We went to the diner probably once a week, usually for a weekend brunch. There were plenty of other well-behaved children there and the bill wasn’t too bad.
When we visited my father in California when Markus was just 18 months old, we found ourselves eating out almost every day, sometimes twice a day. It was no big deal, because the smitchiks were used to it. We only had one “incident” where Rafael ended up sorta spilling/sorta pouring out his milk on the table.
Tip #2: Plan ahead
Always have baby wipes, snacks and drinks with you, plus a toy or two.
First off, if you don’t feel like the table or the baby seat is clean enough (more of an issue for us when Markus was still a baby and tended to try to suck on the table or suck his thumb incessantly), the wipes are essential. Plus, it’s much easier to wipe their hands and face with baby wipes than napkins.
And when the fork or spoon drops (OK, or is thrown) on the floor, you have something to wipe it off with, instead of having to wait for a new one.
As for the snacks and drinks, you don’t want to spoil their appetites, but let’s face it: They want the food NOW. Some Cheerios and an apple juice will keep them occupied and patient. So will a toy. Sometimes one works better than the other. You’re the parent; you can figure out which one to use when.
Tip #3: Simplify Your Ordering
Even the children’s menu at your average diner has at least a half-dozen choices. First off, we only just recently started ordering from it for Rafael. Markus still eats from our orders or shares Rafael’s. Second, we don’t offer Rafael all the choices.
The power of having choice is huge for children this age. At least it is for Rafael, and I suspect he’s not unusual in this respect. You know your child; you know what he or she will actually eat. Don’t read all the options and then expect your child to sort it all out and actually eat what he ends up ordering.
I suspect that if Rafael had all the options to choose from, he’d order something he’d never had before, refuse to eat it and then complain that he really wanted grilled cheese or a burger. Why tempt fate?
We usually say, “Let’s see. Do you want grilled cheese or a HOT DOG?” You might want to emphasize the one your child is less likely to eat, as I do, if yours is as stubborn as mine. Ah, reverse psychology.
Tip #4: Know When To Leave
Sometimes, if Rafael’s getting restless and we’re not quite finished, my husband will take him outside for a little walk while I finish up and pay the bill or whatever. Rafael’s 4. He’s not going to sit patiently forever. You know your child; if there’s going to be a meltdown, get outta Dodge.
Remember when you were childless and a meal/movie/whatever was ruined because someone let their child melt down and just kept eating/watching/whatever? Don’t be that parent. You swore you wouldn’t be, remember?
Tip #5: Tip…no that’s not a typo…TIP
Honestly, this is a rule of thumb even without children, but especially so with.
If you tip well, you’ll have servers doting on your children next time you come in, and even trying to help you out if the little guy (or girl) is getting cranky about their food or wanting something just a little different. It can alleviate the conditions that led to Tip #4, in fact.
All that aside, we’ve all had (or will, don’t you worry) restaurant horror (or, at least, unpleasant) stories… Do share…
This entry was posted
on Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 7:05 am by Amy Vernon.
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You forgot the most important rule. Go out early. Kids have early bedtimes, so don’t expect your child to behave in a restaurant at 9:00, just because that’s when you want to be eating!
Chris –
That’s an excellent addition and you’re absolutely right. Thanks!
I had a bag of special things that only came out at restaurants – special coloring stuff, lift the flap books, even a zip top bag filled with crazy things where they would need to find 5 blue things or all the animals, or whatever. They looked forward to eating out just to see what was in the bag!