Top Tips for Hassle-free Meals Out with Toddlers

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. 

Toddler Tantrums

C is now 14 months old and has already started throwing tantrums. Is this not what they mean by "terrible twos"? Have they come early? Or is "terrible twos" a whole lot worse than just tantrum throwing?

C has started throwing tantrums over literally anything. He is sick at the moment so part of me hopes it linked with that. He drops down onto his knees, bounces up and down whilst doing a mixture of screaming and crying and throws his head back. This worries me the most because he just doesn't care if he bangs his head or not. I want to target the tantrums and cut them out by not giving him any attention when he throws one but I always end up going over to him and holding him upright because I don't want him falling backwards and hurting himself. 

I gave him calpol and he wanted more = tantrum. 

I took him out of the bath = tantrum. 

I moved away from something he shouldn't be touching = tantrum. 

His dinner wasn't cool enough to eat yet = tantrum. 

I think you get the picture! The past 4 days have been so stressful with them. 

Are you dealing with toddler tantrums? 

How do you cope?! I need ideas!

Date Night

Chris and I have been together for almost 4 years (sometimes I can't believe it's been that long!). I was 17 when we first met and when I turned 18, went to uni and moved in together we started going out for meals, to bars or to the cinema. Nowhere extravagant, just the occasional dinner at places like TGI Fridays or Chiquito. We really took this for granted and I've missed meals out since C was born.

On Thursday, we ventured out with C in tow. I'm still not used to leaving him so I wanted to bring him with us. We had four possible places in mind; Chiquito, Pizza Express, Frankie & Benny's or Spur Steak & Grill. We ended up in TGI Fridays, haha.

When we arrived, we were seated and C was asleep in his pram. We ordered our food and then he woke up. I got a highchair for him and he had a nosey about at all the lights and shook his rattle, banging it off the table. 

After a little bit of a wait, mine and Chris's meals came out. I had the Ultimate Southwest burger and Chris had the Ultimate Bacon Cheese Burger (yum!). At this point, C started leaning over the table trying to grab our food and crying because he couldn't have any. His mash then came out (the waiter was lovely and brought us a teaspoon as he assumed the mash was for C) and because I had to blow on it to cool it down, he had another cry. Whilst eating his mash, he still tried to get at our food. In the end, Chris had to give him some chips on a plate for him to pick up and eat himself. The whole way through eating them, he whinged.

We quickly ate our meals whilst trying to calm C down. His next tantrum came when he tried to put his chip down his straw and Chris told him 'no'. Everything felt very rushed as we were so focused on C and how he may be irritating other customers, which is a shame because the food and service was fantastic.

I definitely think in future, we either won't go out or I may have to reluctantly leave him behind :(

Have you ever had testing meals with your children?