Seven Sins of dining out with kids

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Jul 25th 2007 @ 2:29PM

I don't have any kids of my own, and I'm a little bit too old to remember what it was like for me when I was a kid to go out to eat in restaurants, but I have recently become more attuned to the entire "Dining Out with Kids" thing because I have new nieces.

Wow.

Not only is it a production to get a kid set up at the table, but the very act of eating for a kid is quite a big deal. I honestly do not remember it this way when I was a kid, but like I said, I tend to remember only the good things.

For those of us who do have kids and still want to be able to enjoy a nice meal out in a restaurant, or maybe not even "nice," but just "out," Fodor's has some advice, which I am calling the Seven Deadly Sins of Dining Out with Kids. I may have to pass these on to my sisters (and if you have any of your own to share, please do!):

Don't go somewhere that doesn't have other kids
Don't force your kids to eat off the Kids' Menu
Don't try something brand new
Don't forget that kids do have meltdowns
Don't let the server bring kids' dishes out first - eat altogether
Don't forget to taste your kids' food before they do to make sure it's okay
Don't be mean if your kids act up. For gosh's sake, they're kids.

Source

Filed Under: Cooking With Kids, Chefs & Restaurants, How To, Restaurants

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Reader comments (Page 2 of 2)

7-27-2007 @10:23AM Tony said... Good post by Richard Leader, #17.

Don't be prudish. Let kids enjoy food that is healthy and tastes good. I have absolutely no problem with kids going to nice restaurants, only the ones whose parents let them do whatever.
"Kid friendly" places like McDonalds and Chuck E. Cheese are the last places kids should be eating. Instead, go somewhere they have meals with vegetables. Little Johnny needs his vegetables.

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8-06-2007 @2:20PM Matt Z said... I agree with Richard.

I suggest adding another addendum to that.

Thou shalt keep thine children under control.

A while ago my family was at a steak house in town and these two kids were throwing a hacky sack arround their table and running arround while their parents were sitting and talking.

Guess what eventually happened... Yep ball hit my dad in the head, parents really didn't do anything until the kids compained to their parents that the mean man had stole their ball.

They acctually had the gaul to come over and demand the ball back even after my father said that he was hit in the head by it and they really didn't offer that much of an apology. Of course he did something that I really respected him for. He parented the parents. He told them straight up, "You'll get it back when you're ready to leave."
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9-24-2007 @6:39PM Liz 2 said... Chaosotter - If I'm not mistaken, rule #1 actually does speak to the consideration of others.

And amen Richard. We might even have the same mother.
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