Taking food from 1 restaurant to another for your child - okay?

[belleandthebeast]

I already posted how I felt about taking food into other restuarants.

Just wanted to mention that we went to TGI Fridays for my Dad's birthday last night. My niece (21 months) was getting very hungry. My sister did take food in with her. Not fast food, a small (very small) bowl of macaroni from home. The waitress didn't have the slightest problem with that. We were a party of 9 people.

So, would you rather we bring the food and let her eat prior to our food arriving, or having her fuss and scream because she's hungry and the food wasn't coming quick enough. By the way, cheerios and crackers wouldn't have done it.

Not trying to start a feud. Everyone has there own opinion. It's not fair to critize someone trying to accomodate a small child. AND, I don't think it's fair for the patrons around us to listen to her fuss because she IS hungry and the food is not coming out fast enough. I look at it more of accomodating the patrons around us.

Also, before you critize for the bowl of macraroni, my sister's family was displaced from their home due to a broken jack. Their house is not habitable and is in the process of being fixed. They (sister's family) have to stay at a hotel that is 30 minutes from their hometown, making it take a lot longer to get home from work, hence, not being able to feed her prior to arriving at the retuarant.

 

[JoBird]

RadioNate-
I never knew how hard it is to have a picky child! She is so bad that when she gets sick and needs an antibiotic, we have to get her the shots because she has , at times, thrown up a whole bottle of the syrup. You know, force it down her, up it comes, force it down her ,up that comes, until you are all exhausted and spent and she is crying and so are you because there is nothing you can do.
She gags at everything: smells, sights, etc. Her gag reflex works overtime and it is exhusting to us, as parents.
It sounds like there is hope for my child, if yours is trying some things now! Thanks for the support!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Because it signifies the general decline of our society. So in that, it does affect me. For instance, I see a mom give in to a tantrum throwing brat at Target. Yes, I'm going to judge her. Does it affect me directly? Not really. But in 20 years when this entitled brat is working under me (or whomever he is working under), it's certainly going to affect society.

I think it's a big load of hooey that people think people shouldn't judge other people. We make judgements every single day! And if you say you don't, I think you're lying. Or at least not admitting it to yourself.

ETA - The subject of the thread was, Do you think it's OK? People are just giving their replies. Personally, no I don't think it's OK.

It's fine if you don't personally think it's ok. I'm fine with that. And I don't bring food into restaurants for my kids and only did occasionally when they were young and couldn't eat what was on the kid's menu (being vegetarian we are more limited as to what we can eat--all the chicken nuggets in the world don't do a thing for us).

And to say that bringing a Happy Meal into a restaurant has to do with the decline of society is to me (not that my kids have ever had a happy meal ). Yes, catering to kids does cause problems, but so do a LOT of other things that a parent can do.

But no, I'm not a big one to judge others. Not saying that I never do, but as much as possible I give other parents the benefit of the doubt. It gives people a me vs you mentality, which I think is a bad idea. It implies that I am (or you are...) a better mother and/or person because I did XY or Z with my kids. Better for me to think of all the positive things that people are doing with and for their kids than working to pick apart their parenting.

There will always be people that parent differently. There always have been, afterall.

 

[DisneyPhD]

For someone who has never had a picky child, please don't say "you would never..." because you don't know what you'd do in a situation you've, thankfully, never had to deal with.

That was rather my point, and as a mother who has more then had to deal with it, but change my families entire eating habbit and therefore life over it, you just never know what you have to do until you are faced with it. I have always said that food allergies really can make you a little nuts. Imagine the same food that helps people to grow and life, can cause others to be ill or even die. It isn't easy.

Just being picky isn't the issue, (and this sound a bit more then that. ) What if they child had sensory intergration issues (as many autistic children do, but a child can have them and not be autistic.) Food is a very different thing for them then us.

Parents learn to pick choose the battles that are the most important. If eating what is at the resturant is the most important to you fine, if it isn't to others, fine. Of all the bad parenting things out there today, I have never seen any one be charged with child abuse over this issue.
You just never know until you have to deal with it. Just be thankful you don't have to.

 

[TurboKitty]

I know to "never say never".

I also remember how mortified I was going out to dinner with my father, MIL and half sister, when all she would eat were KFC sandwiches. Didn't matter where we went, hs wouldn't touch a thing, even at The Old Spaghetti Factory. It made me wish we had just gotten take-out and brought everything home, so everyone could have whatever they wanted.

Now, we've brought in formula/jarred babyfood when our kids were very young, and I usually carry some crackers, gum and candy in my purse to tide over little tummies, but I just couldn't bring sacks of food from one place to another. Not yet anyway...

 

[DisneyPhD]

Now, we've brought in formula/jarred babyfood when our kids were very young, and I usually carry some crackers, gum and candy in my purse to tide over little tummies, but I just couldn't bring sacks of food from one place to another. Not yet anyway...

See that is one of those things that it would of never even dawned on me that others would have an issue with. Heck if you didn't that is more bad parenting then doing it. Kids need to eat and depending on the age and situation are not going to be able to eat what adults do. Smiple as that.

Like you I haven't brought food from one place to another, but given the right situation might. (especailly if it means I get to eat where I want to instead of McDonalds.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

It's so rare for me to bring food in from another restaurant for my kids to eat, but I would never begrudge someone who did.

If I owned a restaurant, I would certainly understand the importance of catering to younger diners. Good grief. A box of Kraft Mac N Cheese costs 50 cents and will serve 2-3 kids. They turn around and charge me $4 or $5 for that, and I'm willing to pay that cost so my children will allow me to enjoy a restaurant that is more to my liking.

 

[rt2dz]

I have not read the whole thread, I'm sure I would have way too much to post if I did. I used to be a restuarant manager. Generally, when people do that, you look the other way. Unless, the health department comes in. Yes, you are not supposed to allow it. Not because it is tacky (which I believe it is), but because there are issues with food from other restuarants and illnesses, etc.

Personally, I wouldn't take my kids with me to that restuarant if they wouldn't eat there. I'd get a babysitter or get it to-go. Or, what we frequently do, feed our kids before going there and just get them dessert when we have our meal.

BTW--food is priced on a bell curve. And you can't just keep boxes of Mac-n-cheese on hand. It just doesn't work that way. It's a lot more complicated than that.

 

[CheshireVal]

I think it's okay if there are allergy issues or whatever, but just because a kid is picky? I don't think so!

Whatever happened to having to sit at the dinner table until you ate your food? There's no way my mom would have let me be that picky!

 

[CEDmom]

I think it's okay if there are allergy issues or whatever, but just because a kid is picky? I don't think so!

Whatever happened to having to sit at the dinner table until you ate your food? There's no way my mom would have let me be that picky!

I remember those days and the tears I shed because I wouldn't drink my milk or eat certain things my mom cooked. Some nights I'd still be at the table when the kitchen lights were turned out . I love my mom and think she and my dad did a great job raising my brothers and me but I don't agree with certain things they did and will not repeat them with my child. One of those is forcing my child to eat what I put in front of her or go hungry. She's a polite, kind and respectful child. My indulging her eating preferences has no impact on her overall behavior.

 

[JoBird]

I think it's okay if there are allergy issues or whatever, but just because a kid is picky? I don't think so!

Whatever happened to having to sit at the dinner table until you ate your food? There's no way my mom would have let me be that picky!

When I was much younger, I knew a "mother", if you could call her that, who made her picky eater sit at the table until the poor thing ate everything on her plate. One day, the child didn't want oatmeal for breakfast (she had had it every day for two weeks) and her mother said she had to sit there until it was gone. The child sat there for TEN HOURS. She would have rather sit than eat something that disgusted her. She never did eat it, BTW. The Mother gave in when the dad came home and saw his child sitting there, tears streaming down her beautiful face, plate of cold oatmeal in front of her. It's abuse, and it's very upsetting.
And, just to be clear, Mother's don't "allow" a child to be picky. We would love nothing more than for our children to eat everything and love it. In the real world, it just doesn't work that way.
By the way, how many children do you have and what do you do when they won't eat?

 

[CheshireVal]

When I was much younger, I knew a "mother", if you could call her that, who made her picky eater sit at the table until the poor thing ate everything on her plate. One day, the child didn't want oatmeal for breakfast (she had had it every day for two weeks) and her mother said she had to sit there until it was gone. The child sat there for TEN HOURS. She would have rather sit than eat something that disgusted her. She never did eat it, BTW. The Mother gave in when the dad came home and saw his child sitting there, tears streaming down her beautiful face, plate of cold oatmeal in front of her. It's abuse, and it's very upsetting.
And, just to be clear, Mother's don't "allow" a child to be picky. We would love nothing more than for our children to eat everything and love it. In the real world, it just doesn't work that way.
By the way, how many children do you have and what do you do when they won't eat?

I never had to sit at the table either, and would not do that to my kids. I *did* have to at least try everything before rejecting it outright, which I think is totally fair. I would probably indulge my kids just a bit at home, but would not bring McDonalds into a restaurant just because they refuse to try anything else on the menu.

Not having kids yet does not make me unqualified to have an opinion on this matter.

 

[Nancy]

I think it's okay if there are allergy issues or whatever, but just because a kid is picky? I don't think so!

Whatever happened to having to sit at the dinner table until you ate your food? There's no way my mom would have let me be that picky!

Edited because I posted while you did...


So as an adult now will you eat everything or do you have foods that you dislike and won't eat?

I'm almost 48 and there are MANY foods I won't touch because i don't like and
I can't even try a food if I don't like how it looks or smells. I have gotten a bit better in the last year or so, but I need to know every little thing that is in it before I will take a small teensy piece. can cook anything, I just can't eat it....and yep, I was one that HAD to eat things. I would never in a million years subject my children to that. That said they eat way better than I do and they are willing to try anything too.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I never had to sit at the table either, and would not do that to my kids. I *did* have to at least try everything before rejecting it outright, which I think is totally fair. I would probably indulge my kids just a bit at home, but would not bring McDonalds into a restaurant just because they refuse to try anything else on the menu.

Not having kids yet does not make me unqualified to have an opinion on this matter.

I recently explained to my 6yo, when he was complaining about not liking what we were having for dinner, that I'd read (probably on the DIS ) that a child sometimes has to try a food 5 or 6 times (whatever the number was that I read) before developing a taste for it and that he should try the food one more time. It convinced him--he tried whatever it was and liked it.

I do agree on getting kids to try a bite of whatever food, but there are some kids who are so intelligent that they can tell by looking at food whether they are going to like it...my 12yo, for instance. I tell him he is so smart that he doesn't even have to taste it to tell.

 

[Tuffcookie]

As a few previous posters have pointed out, sometimes there may be food allergies that require special diet needs. Also, one other thing: Sometimes a child can have a neurological disorder (insert Asperger's Syndrome here) and look perfectly normal. Aspie's are pretty set in their ways about what food they will or will not eat. I chose not to have a battle over food with my DS.
When I went to Myrtle Beach with my DS this past summer I wanted to eat at a favorite spot (Drunken Jack's). I knew my DS would not eat seafood but he was over the age for the children's menu. I e-mailed the manager of the restaurant and she replied and was more than happy to accomodate my DS by letting him order from the children's menu.

TC

 

[thinkerbell]

My kids weren't picky eaters but I would not dream of making them eat something they didn't like. I did ENCOURAGE them to try it but I didn't make them. I treated my children as I wanted to be treated with things like this. This isn't one of those things that is right or wrong for a child(as long as they get what they need nutritionally), like behaving. I don't ever remember taking in food for my kids to another eating establishment, but I would have in a heart beat. I can't tell an owner how to run his/her business but if they want my business, they wouldn't mind me doing this.

 

[CheshireVal]

Edited because I posted while you did...


So as an adult now will you eat everything or do you have foods that you dislike and won't eat?

I'm almost 48 and there are MANY foods I won't touch because i don't like and
I can't even try a food if I don't like how it looks or smells. I have gotten a bit better in the last year or so, but I need to know every little thing that is in it before I will take a small teensy piece. can cook anything, I just can't eat it....and yep, I was one that HAD to eat things. I would never in a million years subject my children to that. That said they eat way better than I do and they are willing to try anything too.

Actually I will try just about anything (unless it's some sort of weird or exotic meat) once. I wouldn't force a kid to eat a whole yucky meal, but I would expect him (or her) to at least take a bite before deciding that it's totally disgusting.

 

[MAKmom]

I think its bad form.

 

[skiwee1]

I think it's okay if there are allergy issues or whatever, but just because a kid is picky? I don't think so!

Whatever happened to having to sit at the dinner table until you ate your food? There's no way my mom would have let me be that picky!

I remember my dad trying to pull that and it didn't work for me. I am 43 y/o and can still remember the day I had to eat runny eggs because my mom made them. No thanks. I respect my kids more then that.

 

[Nancy]

I recently explained to my 6yo, when he was complaining about not liking what we were having for dinner, that I'd read (probably on the DIS ) that a child sometimes has to try a food 5 or 6 times (whatever the number was that I read) before developing a taste for it and that he should try the food one more time. It convinced him--he tried whatever it was and liked it.

I do agree on getting kids to try a bite of whatever food, but there are some kids who are so intelligent that they can tell by looking at food whether they are going to like it...my 12yo, for instance. I tell him he is so smart that he doesn't even have to taste it to tell.

Well, that's me and I am far from being a kid,big baby maybe, but not a kid but if I don't like how it looks or smells, I'm not even trying it, I just know I won't like it if I can't stand to even look at it. I can't eat a thing unless I can tell what is in it. So if there is a salad I will pick it apart and take out everything that I can't tell what it is, then I eat the rest. If I see anything that even remotely looks weird it is going no where near my mouth! I don't care how good everyone says it is...it is not going in my mouth. My kids can try whatever they want, and they do! Good thing they don't take after me!