It never fails. The moment you cautiously venture out into the world in the form of a quick restaurant meal, your smiling little angel becomes the crying crazy baby. Okay, so even if your kid isn’t like that, there are a few things to keep in mind when bringing your baby or young child into a restaurant. Here are some tips to make it easier on everyone, from parents to baby, to servers to other patrons.
Make sure that you have enough distraction on hand to keep your little one occupied throughout the meal. It is a good idea to have some special toys that only come out when you are out. In desperation, offer whatever is at the table and safe depending on your baby’s age. But keep your baby away from the sugar packets and creamers if he is strong enough to actually open them.
If you need to eat baby food or a bottle, don’t ask the server to microwave it. Some of these microwaves are pretty disgusting, and you also don’t want to risk cross contamination with potential food allergens. Instead, ask for a bowl of hot water and set the bottle or container into it to warm.
Please don’t change your baby in the dining area, especially when there is poop. This is just wrong. If the restaurant doesn’t have a baby changing area. you can ask if there is someplace where you can change your baby, such as an extra room. In a pinch, change your little one in the car.
Don’t attend to a restaurant that has a smoking section. Unless the restaurant has a state of the art ventilation system (I haven’t found one yet that is also family friendly), your baby will inhale a large amount of smoke. Developing lungs just don’t need that.
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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