Ethan hasn’t used a high chair at home for about a year. As he doesn’t like to keep still for more than a second, we felt it was essential to teach him how to eat and stay at the dinner table. A very important life skill.
This is a skill that we hadn’t yet transferred into eating out in a public place. Not that we get to eat out that often but the few times we have we still put Ethan into a high chair. This is mostly because he doesn’t stay at our dinner table for long, and we have visions of him causing mayhem in the restaurant. Not an enjoyable experience for anyone!
As it was our anniversary we talked about venturing out for a meal, knowing it wouldn’t be easy. The fact of the matter is we can’t put off eating out anywhere until Ethan is ready. He might be fifteen when he is ready, so the earlier we start teaching him these life skills the better.
As always nothing in our life ever goes to plan and Ethan was ill on our anniversary so we spent the day in the house. The next day with Ethan a little brighter we decided to try eating out. Nowhere that fancy so Pizza Hut it was!
We got to Pizza Hut early and were able to pick a table. We picked a booth, both agreeing we thought it would be the safest option. We also avoided the buffet choice as we thought this would give Ethan too much opportunity to run, choosing to pick mains from the menu.
Ethan didn’t say sitting down for long, he stood on the seat and watched everything going on around us, but he didn’t try to leave. It looked like he was interested in everything going on around us.
We ordered a sharing starter so that Ethan could pick the food he wanted, he decided the garlic bread was his! We also ordered him the pasta from the children’s menu, not knowing if he would eat it. This happens quite regularly with our picky eater, it doesn’t help that we can’t ask Ethan if he is hungry or want he wants to eat.
The pasta come out piping hot and we kept it out of his way, telling him it was hot. Ethan didn’t show any interest in at after that. He is learning about hot things when we have cups of tea so I’m hoping he connected the word together with the food.
We gave up all hope of Ethan eating his meal as we had nearly finished ours but to our surprise he started to tuck in. He also helped me share my chocolate cake, I would have loved to have let him have the ice cream factory for his dessert but Ethan isn’t an ice cream boy. When he is with us anyway!
Surprisingly we had a lovely family meal. We thought we would only be in there an hour but we ended us being in the restaurant for over two and a half hours. That included feeding Little E and changing both of the children.
We are so proud of Ethan this was a big step for us as a family. Now we just have to try a restaurant without the booth option and see how we get on!
Sounds like a big step – well done Ethan. Lovely to hear he tucked into his meal and enjoyed family time with you.
It was for us, something so small and all that ;0). I really hope we can go out again soon so that we know it wasn’t just a one off.
What a great achievement! We always go for the booth option for the same reason with the boy – block him in ha ha glad you had a lovely meal & happy anniversary x
Thank you, yes the booth option really worked. We will have to find all of the restaurants that have booths ;0)
Hello there, I am so glad to hear that you had a lovely time, and that you were able to stay more than an hour-I tend to just shovel my food down and go as our little man won’t sit for any length of time. Hope you are all well and happy anniversary! xxx #ssamazingachievements
Thank you. Yes I was amazed at how long we were in there to be honest. I was so impressed that Ethan was able to stay there without any issues.
Oh, that’s lovely and a really big achievement at a special time for you – your anniversary & with a new baby! Talk about taking a giant leap forward. Well done Ethan you must be very, very proud of him. I hope you’re also proud of yourself too, for venturing out and being brave. #ssaa
Thank you, yes we were all very proud of ourselves. I really hope we are able to go out again soon :0)
Well done to Ethan! That is a great achievement to stay in a restaurant that long. I know my kids would be moaning!
Thank you, he was definitely having a good day ;0)
Fantastic that you got out for a meal and were able to spend time all together. We stick to booths too, it makes handling any potential situations a lot easier. Well done E! #SSAmazingAchievements
Thank you. It sounds like booths really are the way to go. It could have been a very different story if Ethan had been sitting on his own chair ;0)