Question about taking a 1 year old to dinner?

Question

My husband and I have a 15 month olf girl. We have taken her to dinner a few times and of course it can be difficult. She has never thrown a fit, but she always wants to get down and walk over to see everyone else! The second she lets out a loud noise, one of us always takes her right away for a walk outside. Don't worry, we have consideration for the other customers and understand that people want a peaceful meal. I was just looking to see if anyone has advice on how to keep a 15 month old busy in a restaurant? I don't want to keep her at home all the time, she needs to get out, and she loves people.

Answer 1

Well, our daughter is 15 months old too. She does the SAME things lol, but toys are pointless because nothing keeps her attention for more than a couple minutes. We just go to places where it's a more family atmosphere. We live in a smaller town, so I guess it might be easier for us. There are a lot of places that there are other families and we don't have to feel so stiff. She babbles and "flirts" with the people around us and we've never had a complaint...even when we apologize and try to get her attention people say oh no and keep her going lol! We've never once removed her from a restaurant for being loud (it's never screaming or anything, but babbling and giggling that gets loud). So maybe try smaller, family friendly places and so forth. When she gets older and can concentrate more on coloring and toys maybe try the quiter and more sophisticated places. Good Luck! I hope it helped lol!

Answer 2

Well there are two sides to this coin. On one side you are doing the right thing taking your daughter with you to dinner, it is a great way to let her get accustomed to eating out, sitting in a high chair and behaving like a good girl.
On the other side is the fact that she is 15 months old and the other diners should be expecting a certain amount of normal noise and behavior from a young toddler.
I would bring her favorite board book, crayons and coloring books (if she will color without eating them), and her own cup.
You should also go to a family appropriate restaurant as well. Why put a toddler through stress at a jacket required type restaurant? A family friendly place has food that is more affordable and a better environment for kids as well.

Answer 3

I remember those days. Eating my meal so fast I thought I was going to have indigestion! Best advice I can think of is to go to the most kid friendly restaurants and pack food and toys and books with you that will occupy her time at the table until she becomes bored and/or restless and simply must move around before the food comes. Then walk around til the meal comes. We've all been there and if someone gives you a look then they are just having a day.

Answer 4

Thank you, thank you, thank you for having consideration for other people! Too many parents think that if their child is disruptive it's other people's problem and they can just deal with it. I was like you, I didn't want my child to be disruptive but I wanted her to learn to sit at the table while we were out eating. I packed a "restaurant bag" and put special things in it that my daughter only got when we went out to eat. In the bag I had a special coloring book and crayons, a lift the flap book that she adored, some small finger puppets, and some fruit snacks that were her favorites. I would feed her dinner and then once she was finished I would give her the things from the bag slowly until we finished and were ready to go. Over time I removed things from the bag so that she would learn to entertain herself at the table and learn how to behave while we ate. She is now 4 and we have never had any major problems while we've been out to eat, except for that one time she got the stomach flu as we were sitting down to eat, oh yeah that was fun and not embarrassing at all :-)! Good luck!

Answer 5

#1 give her your spoon. Works for mine *lol*

Otherwise try buying some new toys from the dollar store. Even consider somethings that are not quite age appropriate. Kids know when they are getting stuff they shouldn't have. Now I don't mean anything truely dangerous. But I mean toys with pieces that are attached but are too small which makes them an ages 3+ toy. You are going to be right there and I don't think your child will be able to break the toy and swallow the pieces with you right there.

Also don't forget to bring food for her or order something you can share. And bring her a sippy cup or bottle.

Also after you order walk around until the food is brought out. Go to the bathroom, visit the lobby, check out the decor. Etc.

Answer 6

My daughter also is 15 months old. When we go out to eat, we always bring a few toys for her to play with. We also will let her eat whatever we order since even the kids meals are still a bit big for her - she loves sharing our food. Many restaurants have crayons and coloring sheets available for kids too :) She's been going out to eat with us once or twice a month since 2 months old, so she's a pro at this now :)

Answer 7

You have to keep a stash of quiet activities to keep her entertained. We bring along crayons, some small snacks to eat while waiting for food, magnetic people sets, magnet letters, maybe some Little People to play with on the table, fidget toys (like Tangle, or a ball to squeeze to let out energy), some board books to look at, or just a pen and a small pad of paper to write on (especially if it looks like Mommy's). You just have to be as prepared with distractions as possible. It is hard for a toddler to sit still for that long, so make sure that you have her run around the yard or get some physical exercise before you go in to eat. That is the hardest part for these little guys... sitting for prolonged periods of time.

Answer 8

First, try to pick family/kid-friendly restaurants...even if they aren't your first choice. Try to go early before the crowds are too big...and ask for a table as far away from the crowds as possible.
It can help to even get a menu, call ahead (talk to the mgr) and pre-order so that when you get there, you don't have a lot of "empty" time to fill. Bring a few toys or even one of the small portable DVD players with an Elmo or similar DVD. Remember, it isn't important is she eats (you can always take home anything you order for her), it's important that she's occupied so you can.

Answer 9

try taking a small toy or book to the resturant with you. play a quit game with her at the table. other than that all i can say is good luck. I have 3 girls ages 4,3, &1 and they can diffently be a hand full when trying to go out to eat, but the more you go out and the better behaved she will get. It might take awhile but sooner or later she'll get use to knowing how to act. It's a matter of time and patience.

Answer 10

The more you take your daughter out in public like this, the more she will get used to it! You are doing good by letting her experience things like this, hopefully now when shes 3 and you try to take her out, she will be well behaved. Just bring small toys that might keep her occupied. my daughter is 1 as well and when I take her out with us to eat, we usually bring some small, quiet toys she can play with while we wait for the food. I try not to give them too her until she starts getting active, this way she doesn't NEED the toys everytime we go to eat. As long as I pay attention too her, she is usually fine. Good Luck!