Can we get that to-go?

We've been down this road before. The warning signs are there. We are approaching the end of eating at restaurants with Sam. We went through this phase with Ian and couldn't go out to eat with him for about 8 months. It just becomes too stressful and no one enjoys it; not us, not the wait staff and certainly, not the customers around us.

I look around at other families with toddler-aged children and I don't know how their kids can sit there so calmly waiting for their food or their parents to finish eating, or even for the check to arrive. It must be genetic because my parents never get tired telling me that when I was a baby, my dad would eat his food super fast and then take me outside while the rest of the family enjoyed their meal.

Jeff and I figured we've got 40 minutes from the minute we walk in the door of a restaurant to the minute we need to be walking back out. Our strategy we developed with Ian and now implement with Sam, goes something like this -

1. We only pick extremely child-friendly restaurants...think balloons, loud noise and usually a tv screen or two surrounding us. Our most favorite places we'll go with the kids include: Glory Days, Red Robin, Champps, Rio Grande, and Ho's Dynasty (not sure why, but we've always had a wonderful experience with the kids doing Chinese). We've gone to many other restaurants, many times (Villa Bella, Cheesecake Factory, Coastal Flats, Maggiano's, etc), that are kid-friendly, but the stress level for Jeff & I most definitely rises, because Sam needs to be on the quiet side. The noise level in the restaurant isn't loud enough to drown her out.

2. We try to arrive right at the 5:00pm hour. This is before real hunger sets in with the kids and we haven't ruined their appetite giving them lots of snacks.

3. Before we walk in the door, we pretty much already know what we will be ordering. Why waste precious time looking at the menu?

4, As soon as the waiter comes by asking us what we would like to drink, we tell them we are ready to order. We also add that as soon as the kids' food is ready, please bring it out. And, if we ordered an appetizer, we throw in that we don't need that first, just bring out whatever is ready as it is done.

5. When the food gets brought to the table, we tell the waiter we are ready for the check. We also anticipate any to-go box needs and ask for the container then too.

6. We pay the check usually halfway through the meal. This way if we need to make a quick escape, we are ready to do so.

Even with the strategy in play, we still have to juggle a very squirmy toddler and figure out what tricks we can do to keep her happy. It gets harder and harder the more she wants to move around and explore. With Ian, we had to take an 8 month hiatus from eating out and then it was like a switch had gone on and he was safe to take out in public again. We've now entered this same stage with Samantha. At least we know having lived through this before, that it is only a stage, and once we get through it, it will be enjoyable again for everyone at the other side.

Until then, we will just have to be content with Panera Bread, Cosi, and other fast food places that give you your food as soon as you order. At least this stage we have now entered is budget-friendly.