| Many parenting books advise against eating out with | | | | When placing your order, ask for your child's meal to |
| young children. Their short attention span and need to | | | | be delivered first. That way, you can do any cutting up |
| be involved in everything will mean a nightmare for you, | | | | that's required and start the feeding process early and |
| they say. They're wrong. We eat out regularly with our | | | | you'll be free to focus on your own meal when it |
| two year old and have a wonderful time. Here are a | | | | arrives. |
| few tips to make sure that you can do it too. | | | | Make dining out interesting for your child. Talk about |
| First of all, make sure you choose a family-friendly | | | | what you're going to order; point out what waiters and |
| restaurant. Look out for easily accessible (and clean) | | | | waitresses are doing; take a tour of the salad bar; |
| high chairs, a willingness to warm milk, free bibs and | | | | discuss whatever's on the walls. Your child will be |
| baby food (available at some rest stops and | | | | pleased to be included and won't even think about |
| motorway service stations) and entertainment for your | | | | having a meltdown. |
| child in the form of crayons and paper or a soft play | | | | Once you've finished your main meal, ask for your bill |
| area. | | | | at the same time as dessert. You'll want to make a |
| In case none of this is available, you need to take your | | | | quick getaway once you've demolished a sweet treat, |
| entertainment with you. Crayons and paper, an | | | | because by then your little darling will be running out of |
| etch-a-sketch or other drawing board toy and a | | | | patience. |
| couple of books are often enough to distract your child | | | | We've been taking our daughter into restaurants |
| from any thoughts of mayhem. | | | | before she could sit up. At first she was in a car seat, |
| Choose your time carefully. Ideally, you should arrive | | | | then a high chair, and now she can sit on a big chair |
| half an hour or so before your child's regular mealtime, | | | | (she's very proud of that!) She can order her own |
| so that their food arrives on time. And don't even think | | | | food (with please and thank you) and talk about what's |
| about going out when your child is already tired - you'll | | | | happening. Don't think she's a paragon of virtue, |
| be setting yourself up for the evening from hell. | | | | because she's not - she's a very spirited two year old. |
| Children are bad at waiting, so you'll need a food | | | | But she enjoys eating out and generally behaves well |
| backup in case your order is late. Pack a box of raisins | | | | enough for us to stay in the restaurant for an hour and |
| or snack bar. Although you're not supposed to take | | | | a half or more. Since the parenting books claim that |
| food from outside into eating establishments, if you | | | | half an hour is pushing it, we don't think that's half bad. |
| politely explain that the alternative is a screaming child, | | | | Why don't you try it, too? |
| they'll definitely turn a blind eye. | | | | |