Those of us who have children know that outings away from home need to be planned in advance, because in addition to checking schedules we have to prepare everything we will need according to the age of our children.

One of the outings that families usually have is lunch or dinner away from home. For this reason, and to facilitate this moment, we share seven tips for going to a restaurant with babies and young children .

• They discover the reason why babies move inside the mother’s womb
• The love of sisters, a beautiful friendship that starts from childhood

Choose the place well

I start our list of tips with this point, because we should not only focus on choosing the place for the type of food they offer there, but also for the atmosphere inside the restaurant .

For example, if we are going out to eat with a baby, choosing a restaurant where there is a lot of noise or where they usually play loud or loud music is not the best option. The same would apply for young children if a restaurant is elegant or fancy : it might not be the best place for a child who wants to run or who gets desperate very quickly.

Take into account their schedules

And by this I mean your children’s schedule. If they are still young and take a nap , it is important that when planning our outing to eat away from home we take this into account and make sure that they go rested so that they do not feel irritable or uncomfortable .

An alternative to this is to feed him before going to the restaurant (in the case of babies and small children), after which he will later want to take a nap and can accompany them asleep in his stroller.

On the other hand, waiting for them to get hungry or going out when we are very close to the time they usually eat can be counterproductive, because we remember that when we go to a restaurant we will have to wait , from the moment we arrive, until They take our order and finally bring the food.

Check the menu in advance

Make sure the restaurant offers options for your child , especially if they have any food allergies . Many sites today offer a children’s menu, although as we know, once we have started complementary feeding, children can eat almost anything, except for some foods that they should avoid depending on their age .

Prepare everything you need

The needs of a baby or child in a restaurant are not the same as ours. Let’s start with your seat. Ideally, find out if the restaurant has high chairs for babies or special seats for toddlers. If not, consider bringing a portable highchair.

For the moment of eating, and depending on the age of the child, we will have to pack various things that will facilitate the exit. For example, for a baby or toddler who doesn’t yet know how to use cutlery accurately or who eats with their little hands, a bib, baby wipes, and a change of clothes are a must . A trainer cup or cup with a lid doesn’t hurt either.

Bring something to entertain him

Going to a restaurant, in addition to eating, requires that we wait seated while they take our order and bring us food. For a young child, this can be a desperate time .

That is why it is important that we come prepared with something to entertain you while we wait . For babies and toddlers, it can be a toy or a book they like. For the older ones, we can bring a coloring book or magnetic travel games.

Keep expectations realistic

Just as our routine changes when we become parents, many other life experiences are transformed, and sometimes even a little complicated. That’s why it’s important that when it comes to activities with infants or toddlers, we keep expectations realistic .

Although it is likely that if we follow the advice listed we will have a pleasant exit, the unexpected happens and it is possible that our children that day are simply not in the mood or do not feel comfortable. In the event that a tantrum occurs or our baby begins to cry, we must be patient and remember that although we have been visiting restaurants for years, for them it is something new and recent .

Ten un Plan B

Finally, a piece of advice from a cautious mom: always have a Plan B. As I mentioned in the previous point, sometimes unforeseen events arise that we cannot control and it is better if we are prepared in case we have to change our plan .

Perhaps the restaurant closed early that day or perhaps we went at a time when it is too busy and the wait for a table is too long for a baby or toddler, and our visit to that particular restaurant is best left for another . day .

Understanding that these things can happen, and being prepared with another option, not only helps our outing not end in a bad experience, but also teaches children to look for solutions or alternatives when something unexpected occurs.