Kid's Restaurant Week in Chicago thru June 26th

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I have seen it far too often to think that it is a coincidence.

It is the eye rolling that comes when I bring my girls into a restaurant. Luckily at 12 and 13, it is lessening but it still happens. It was even more common when they were younger.

Why?

Because there seems to be some unwritten rule that children and fine dining don’t mix. Unfortunately, it seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. See, when you take your kids only to Chuckee Cheeze and McDonalds, the kids begin to think that is what they should be eating when they go out. So those times that you need to take them out at a restaurant they naturally are uncomfortable.

What? No toy?

I have to sit still?

No chicken fingers?

You have seen what happens next. Sheer chaos.

We often take our kids with us when we go out to eat. As a result, my girls can order properly, eat like ladies and participate in conversations when there AREN’T any other children around. Dining out together as a family is the easiest way to introduce your child to new cultures and ideas and helps improve their diet by introducing them to new types of food. It is a win-win scenario for the whole family.

My girls now eat Thai, German, Japanese, Indian, French, Italian and Chinese food without blinking an eye. Lillith started eating sushi when she was 10 but at 13 prefers sashimi. Especially when it is prepared by Chef Katsu. Imelda? Well she isn’t quite there yet, but she knows a few polite words in Japanese, knows that sake is not served in a western style wine glass and loves miso soup.

In other words, I have taught them to behave as adults when in adult situations.

Was it easy. NO.

But was it worth it? Definitely.

The easiest thing to remember is to relax and know your own child.

Fight the boredom factor. Bring coloring books and small toys. My girls used to draw pictures for wait staff and patrons celebrating birthdays. What a way to ingratiate yourself and your child with people who would normally be irritated by dining in the presence to a child then to have the child present them with a gift?

Let your child order first. They are going to dawdle over their meal anyway… order for them right away. That way you can enjoy your meal at your own pace.

Go early. Yes, a 7:00pm reservation is fashionable, but keep dining out at about the same time you would normally eat. Patrons arriving at 5-5:30 with children are certainly more endearing then those who bring in over tired tots at 8pm.

Practice. Play restaurant at home to give them ideas of how to behave. This way they can practice their manners at home in private.

Keep it simple. Don’t take a 3 year old to a 12 course meal. Start slower with simpler foods and let them learn as they go. Eventually they will want to explore more. Also don’t choose extra fancy locations. I took my girls initially to restaurants in Greektown because of the ambience a slightly noisy toddler isn’t going to stand out.

The fact is that we can’t wave a wand over our children and pronounce them behaved. It is something that they need to learn along the way and the only way to learn it is to practice. It is work but the first time that someone comes over to you and congratulates you on your child’s behavior in a restaurant you will know it was worth it.

And then it is YOUR responsibility to pass those congratulations on to other parents who are making the effort to teach their children the art of eating out.

And there couldn’t be a more perfect time to start the effort as now! This week in Chicago, Cookie and Gourmet magazines have joined together to support Kids’ Restaurant Week.

The Chicago participating locations include:

Big Jones Paul Fehribach 773.275.5725
bin wine cafe Adam Ditmer 773.486.2233
Blue Water Grill Mark Chmielewski 312.777.1400
The Café at the Ritz Carlton Mark Payne 312.266.1000
Coco Pazzo Café Jim Kilberg 312.664.2777
Frontera Grill Rick Bayless 312.661.1434
Ina's Ina Pinkney 312.226.8227
Isabella’s Estiatorio Sean Eastwood 630.845.8624
May Street Market Alexander Cheswick 312.421.5547
Onesixtyblue Martial Nougier 312.850.0303
Osteria di Tramonto Rick Tramonto 847.777.6570
Osteria Via Stato David DiGregorio 312.642.8450
OTOM Daryl Nash 312.491.5804
Prairie Grass Café Sarah Stegner;
George Bumbaris 847.205.4433
Topolobampo Rick Bayless 312.661.1434
Uncommon Ground (2 locations) Brian Millman 773.929.3680
Vie Paul Virant 708.246.2082
Zealous Michael Taus 312.475.9112