Dining out with kids can be fun

Recent newspaper articles have raised the issue of dining in restuarants with children and whether restaurants welcome them. One way that restaurants and children can co-exist thanks to new KID-FRIENDLY Sticker.

Many of us have experienced the nightmare of eating out with small children. Whether a parent yourself or a diner in the same venue as a family with a screaming baby/unruly children, what should be a great night out has a tendency to turn into a disaster for all involved.

None more aware are mothers who, through a poll on parenting website www.motherdriven.com.au, say that:

Only 7% of mums dine out without kids

65% of mothers feel guilty about dining out with their children

14% have actually given up on dining out altogether

57% only go out if they find a restaurant that caters for kids

For those parents who are brave enough to venture out, MotherDriven has made it easy for both parents and restaurants by creating and distributing a free KID-FRIENDLY sticker for display by venues who welcome and cater for children.

Available nationwide for restaurants, simply by going to www.motherdriven.com.au and registering, the sticker will help parents easily identify and choose a child-friendly restaurant that is prepared for that awkward moment when your child throws spaghetti on a fellow diner's face while snorting Bolognese through their nose...

MotherDriven Editor and mum Olivia Richardson has identified five top tips for dining out with kids.

Etiquette guidelines include:

1. Call beforehand to make sure the restaurant's equipped for kids. Does it have a high chair available? Are kids' meal options on the menu? If not, that's a dead giveaway it's not kid-friendly and it's best to look elsewhere.

2. BYO entertainment - an iPad, crayons, paper - whatever will maintain the kids' attention for about two hours.

3. Watch wanderers. Kids can get bored easily and a restaurant can be a busy place where the kitchen's often open and breakables and sharps are at their reach. Remain seated at all times please!

4. Grab-proof the area. Make sure the wine glasses, the water glasses - whatever's breakable - isn't within reach of a grabber's curious little fingers.

5. Take screamers out, ASAP. It's time for a walk outside if your child opens their lungs, Jimmy Barnes' style, at the dinner table. Kids or not, patrons won't (and shouldn't have to) put up with this.

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