Going to fifteen cornwall lunch with children

[pooka]

Hi all
Am going to FifteenCornwall on Monday with extended family and dcs.

DD is nearly 5, behaves brilliantly in restaurants and will try most things.

The problem is DS. He's 2.5 and lovely. But an incredibly fussy eater, and not very good at just sitting while others eat. I am trying at the moment to ignore ignore ignore the non-eating and fussiness. While working on getting him to hang around at the table. But I'm not sure how this will work in a more formal eating environment, particularly when I don't want other people's dining experience to be ruined.

I am already rather wishing we weren't going because I just know he is going to run amok. I know, I know - self-fulfilling prophecy and all that. But does anyone have any ideas about what I can do to help make it a fun and tolerable experience for all of us, including ds.

He's not really into drawing. Am thinking will take special comic/stickerbook, both things he's keen on. Would it be appalling to take something like raisins, that can be eaten slowly, buying some sititng time?

Take whatever you need!!! STickers are good. Raisins, other dried fruit.

Have a bag of bits of bobs. Don't get all the stuff out at once. If you can be bothered, even buy some cheapy wrapping paper and when you see his attention wandering, he can choose another surprise toy from the bag to play with. Make it a guessing game - 'I wonder which book/toy/sticker book/food this might be?'

Good luck. I know the feeling. Mine are similar.

We took ds there when he was 18 months - I sat alone and ate my main meal whilst dh took ds outside and then we swapped. In the mean time DS's £8.00 children's bolognaise went untouched - sigh

sorry that wasn't in the least bit helpful!

I would suggest skipping starters/desserts and making it a brief but pleasant meal rather than a long drawn out occasion with time for him to get bored

Taking him out inbetween courses for a quick trot around the block is probably a good idea, and make sure this is shared out fairly.

ask for extra bread to come early (always helped mine)

Echasketch? sort of a thing, Game boy (on silent)?

Thanks for responses. I do think that we will end up doing a fair bit of swapping.

I'd be fine and unfazed if it wasn't for the fact that my father, step-mother and aunt will be there. Step-mother and aunt have not had children. Dad not very hands-on when we were little (plus no money for fancy dining).

So feel a little as if we will be rather in the spotlight.
At least brothers and sil will be non-judgemental!

Checked the sample menu and TBH cannot see anything that ds will happily eat. And to think I was so smug when dd was little and was so happy to try anything once. I will never judge the parents of fussy eaters again.

been there, don't that, got the teeshirt (fussy eater thing) If it helps they do get better.

Hense the 'ask for lots of bread tip!

something to really grab his attention....ds was transfixed by his first gameboy, and this opened out all sorts of eating out oppertunities for us all!

Now at 8 we can do a 3 hour french meal! Byt it has taken a while

Oh dear - wish we could make it a quick one, but unlikely to happen. Think that will work out a plan of action with dh beforehand.
Plenty of bread a good idea - he likes bread! Thank goodness.
May try and dig out our mini aquadraws. Books. Comic. Stickers. Valium.
And will try and develop a thick skin, a backbone and a "don't care who's judging me" attitude beforehand.

Think he might not be up to a gameboy. But may go shopping tomorrow
A 3 hour meal? think that might be doable in..ooh..2012?

small bag of a variety of small (and quiet) toys always worked best for ds.

and lunch would be, I think, less formal than dinner there

ds started with a game boy at about 4ish. He couldn't really play at the time, but boy did it attract his attention.

Can you put the leapfrog games on silent? that might be a better game optioin given his age....but only if they have a silent mode

If possible don't let your son sit down till the last minute,get your partner to order a starter size portion of food for him to have when everyone elses main meal is being served, and sit down just before it turns up, it's always handy if resturant has an outside area. Also praise older child as little ones like to copy older siblings.
good luck

Is he still sleeping in the middle of the day? If so tire him out in the morning. arrive early at the resturant and push him around in the buggy on the beach till he fall asleep. He'll wake up mid meal a bit groggy and docile and happy to sit on laps and be fed choice morsels by tipsy relatives.

have you been there before? it didn't seem that formal when we went, there's a bit of a brasserie vibe going on, rather than a restauranty one (and I'd bet it's more laidback at lunchtime).

Plus the youth-op staff are always dropping glasses etc anyway. It's not an excruciating sort of place (until you get the bill ).

Do take him to inspect the handdryers, I vaguely remember they have those mad slot ones you dip your hands in and it's like a rocket going off.

Food service very slow though. When ordering draw attention to the fact that kids are starving.

All good tips. Thanks so much.
No haven't been before - glad it has a relaxed vibe.
Will definitely order something quick for him. He doesn't nap reliably any more, but you never know - if we're on the beach am, then the sea air may do the trick.
My father is excellent at chivvying. Embarrassingly so at times....

Tamazepan - for you - he may not behave but you will feel just fine about that

also mind over matter helps. Behave as if he should be really excited about the whole thing and you may find he is.

If food service slow, you must take snacks in case they take ages even bringing the bread.
We always take snacks to restaurants for young dcs and have never had the least complaint about it.

Or do you just want to take my DS with you and they can strip naked to the waist and charge around like mad things, worrying all the staff there. Oh no sorry, thats watching swimming lessons isn't it, not a posh restaurant (snort). I have aqua draws to hand if you need them. Let me know

Cheers!
Can you feel my anxiety wafting around the local area Wags?
Oh gawd. Sure will be fine.

Yes, slightly! Tell him L will be very disappointed if he doesn't run amok

If your DS is a fussy eater, don't pay for anyting for him to eat at all, except possibly a bit of pudding. It is a total waste and you shouldn't feel you have to, especially if the 5yo is going ot eat a full kid's meal.

All the suggestions are good - take loads of things with you, and don't forget all the random improvised things he's never been allowed to get his hands on before, like small change. Also salt cellars, sugar bowls etc. etc. My DS very much enjoys cutting up rice cakes with restaurant knives and forks.

And ask (very firmly!) for pudding, coffee and BILL to all be brought together, so you can do the paying up thing while DS toys with icecream and goo or whatever.

And don't get overly concerned about other people's dining experience. They should be there for the food and the vibe, and neither is up to much if one tearaway toddler can dent it too much.

its right on the beach so take him for a good run around first if you can

WE took DD recenelty. It is loud and buzzy and he would have to make quite a bit of noise before it was embarrassing. There are huge windowns overlooking the beach and sea and DD was amused just sticking her face up to them.

Take stickers, raisens (nobody there would care), a portable DVD player?