Eating out

Pick your restaurant with care.

Most places are fab and accept the little bit of mess that goes along with blw philosophically.

The Boy won't chuck food he likes over the side but if he's distracted enough he can drop it accidentally and in restaurants there are plenty of distractions.. other food, waitresses, other kids, customers, salt and pepper shakers, side plates, cutlery...

We met DH for lunch today and I went for a place I knew was fairly child friendly and had high chairs.

The staff were all young with obviously no experience of babies which resulted in them flying to the rescue with a cleaning cloth every time he dropped something. They gave him plastic cutlery which I let him play with before the food arrived which got replaced with a new set twice because he had dropped them on the floor and they were 'now dirty'.

This is a child who will happily eat people's havianas if left unattended for a fraction of a second - I don't think cutlery that has dropped onto a sparkling floor for a fraction of a second is going to do him much harm!

I suppose I shouldn't complain about such attentive service but honestly it was a little trying and far from a relaxing lunch I was acutely concious of what might happen every time The Boy's food stuffed fists wavered over the edge of the high chair and I just couldn't wait to get out of there.

The Boy enjoyed himself though.