A few weeks before E was born Chris, C and I visited TGI Fridays for a "last meal out as a family of three". It was awful. C kept throwing strops over the littlest of things and we vowed we'd never go out for a meal again. We attempted it again just after E was born and the same thing happened but we put it down to him being tired.
A couple of weeks ago we decided to eat at Pizza Hut. This time we planned it meticulously and I wanted to share with you my top tips for surviving a meal out with a toddler.
1. Make sure they have had a nap. C is super grouchy when he's tired and nothing will calm him. I like to let him nap and wake up naturally as he'll be a lot happier.
2. Bring books. We had two brand new books with us for C. He loved the fact that they were ones he'd never read before and was totally enthralled.
3. Colouring sheets and pencils. We let him go wild and it keeps him quiet for a good while!
4. If possible, order similarly and ask if the kids meal can come out with your starters. C has to eat what we are eating. At our Pizza Hut visit, Chris opted for chicken strips as his starter as C was having them as his main. C happily ate them because they were the same as daddy's and he even stole some of daddy's too! He also has a strop if he sees that we have food before him, so do ask if the meals can come out at the same time.
5. If all else fails, I turn to my trusty iPhone. If I have data on my phone or the restaurant has Wi-Fi I log onto YouTube and let C watch his cartoons. Peppa Pig is a current favourite and he'll sit in silence watching. I just keep the sound low so we don't disturb other diners!
What works with your kids?
I'd love to try some extra options.
Honestly only thing that works is good old YouTube. Matthew doesn't colour. He throws the pens on the ground and just hammers on the paper. So phone is the only option.
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