Who doesn’t love going out to dinner?  No planning, no cooking and no cleaning up.  It sounds great!  Until you read the fine print that states, “For those of you with small children, dinner out may or may NOT be a good experience.”

Some children do very well when dining in public.  They mind their manners and are very patient throughout the entire meal.  Others have a tendency to spill more often in public, want to run around the restaurant and even throw a temper tantrum or two.

There are ways to make a dinner out a pleasant experience.  This does NOT include bringing the portable DVD player to the restaurant.  I think this is WRONG!  I saw someone do this and I could not believe it.  Children today watch enough TV they do not need it at meal time.

Idea of the Day:

Restaurant Activities

Here are a few things you can do to make dinner out a pleasant experience.

- Bring crayons and paper.  Draw pictures, play tic-tac-toe or hangman to pass the time.

- Pack  your child’s sippy cup.  This will lead to less spills.

- Bring a nutritious snack.  Let children eat carrots, raisins or cheerios while waiting for the meal to arrive.

- Play I spy. Have children look around the restaurant (while staying seated) for various items.