Tiffany Raiford
When it’s time for a great family meal at a restaurant, it can be difficult to keep your little girl entertained throughout the meal so you can keep your sanity. You worry she’ll cry. You worry she’s cause a scene. You might even worry she’ll grow bored before you’re finished eating and rush the rest of your meal. Dining out with kids is a stressful situation, but we have a few simple tips that will allow you to dine out as a family without worrying your little girls is going to make the meal more of a misery than a relaxing event.
Coloring Pages
Download a few of the free Tinkerbell coloring pages found online and pack a small bag for your daughter. Add some new crayons or colored pencils (Markers are messy) and her new coloring pages and give them to her at dinner. Don’t give them to her right away, however, let her read the menu, play with the crayons given to her at the restaurant and enjoy herself for a few minutes before you use your secret weapon. She’ll be so excited to see that she gets to color her favorite fairy, Tinkerbell, thanks to the coloring pages you brought for her to enjoy.
Snacks
It might seem silly to bring snacks to a restaurant, but your daughter might not like what’s on the menu and she might not have the patience to wait for her food to arrive. A few small snacks – age appropriate, of course – can make a big difference in the way she behaves while she waits for her food to arrive at the table. You’ll be happy to know she’s still hungry when it does arrive, but she’s not starving and miserable when she’s waiting.
Games
Many people frown upon the thought of using electronics to entertain children, but as parents we know firsthand that an electronic game is just as distracting as a favorite movie. You can download some new games and learning activities so that your little one has something to do and something to enjoy while you’re eating. Your daughter might not want to play learning activities, but you can download puzzles and math games that your kids won’t even realize are educational. And let’s not worry what other people think; they’ll judge you for letting your kids play with electronics and they’ll judge you if your kids are bored so pick your own battles.
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Barneys New York
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