We have a really great kid’s menu at the restaurant where I work, with lots of selection and healthy choices available. Sometimes I think there are too many choices there. Some kids make their own decision about what they’d like to eat, and sometimes their parents make the menu selection for their children.
Over the weekend I served a family of three. The little boy dining out with his mom and dad was about four years old. He couldn’t decide what he’d like for supper. Rather than encourage him to choose between the two menu items he wanted, or heck, even making the choice for him, the parents simply ordered TWO meals for their little boy.
I mentioned this to my friend who is a manager at the restaurant.
“Um, over my dead BODY would that be happening,” she exclaimed.
I kind of agree. I think kids need to be taught how to make decisions, even if it’s just to decide between grilled cheese and chicken fingers for dinner. This was a great little opportunity for a social lesson that was passed up. On the other hand, maybe these parents just wanted to enjoy a quiet dinner and if their kid would be kept calm and relatively quiet by giving in, then grilled cheese and chicken fingers it is!
What’s your take?
Kids can be fickle. 4 year olds are certainly some of the most fickle creatures on earth. And while they can make decisions, they do change their minds at the drop of a hat, so to speak.
So, I probably would have only ordered 1 meal. But I can see the appeal, of ordering 2. They know their kid, and perhaps it is a small price to pay for some peace and a meal out. Besides, leftovers make for a good lunch the next day!
While I’d prefer to order one meal, sometimes two is the answer – sometimes. When Gigi is in a state and peace will be kept with two (which makes excellent left overs as Naomi points out) – than I have no issue with two. It’s really relative to the child in question. But as for normal day when the sun is shining and no one is melting down at every turn, than it’s only one. Come to think of it though, on a day that would require two meals ordered, I’d prefer to leave the restaurant and leave the other diners in peace
And I agree – that place has an excellent kids menu.
It’s hard to get our son Nate (almost 4) to pick any option. Usually he wants to go straight to dessert. I do love the steamed veggies that come with BP meals though. It’s our favourite restaurant to hit with the kids! However, if the situation ever arose, we’d ask Nate to pick one of two choices.
We’ve never done that. In our backwards world, we usually we have two kids, one dinner. LOL.
As a frequenter of that restaurant…I’d have to agree with you – there are tons of great choices for kids – but any of them would appeal to most and I wouldn’t want to order too much food. But I totally get where that family was coming from – because my kids often say they want one thing and then change their minds once the food is there…and once they start having a fit it’s often hard to calm them down….which I know is a problem and we’re working on it…but sometimes it’s not worth the fight!
Keep the kid calm? I think not. My opinion and only mine, is that this is the type of stuff that contributes to the obesity issues in the States.
Fortunately, you don’t live there.
Wouldn’t happen in our world. Like one of your other posters…we almost always order one meal to split between the twinks. They do however order their own desserts lol…I might let them get two of those, with the hopes that they wouldn’t be able to finish them and I could instead lol!
I’m with you – I’m big on them learning how to live as grownups one day, and making choices and living with them is something that you can start when they are small so they have lots of practice.