I Am That Mom....

     . I am that mom who takes the Ipad with when we go out to eat. Now I know that this can be one of those “touchy” topics as some parents do not believe in having electronics at the table. That is totally fine as it’s your opinion. But for me, when we go out to eat I make sure I take it along. If you think about how long dinner time usually lasts in your home, it is no where near as long as a restaurant. Your child is already at home so the waiting for food is easy as your children will go about there business & continue playing or what not until dinner time. Your children stay occupied up until the time you eat. When out at a restaurant, you really don’t know how long your wait for food is going to be. It shouldn’t be that long, but there is always that time just when you think things are going smooth where something will unfold. Some places offer kids crayons & a menu that they can color on, but realistically how long does that keep a child entertained? My youngest is 4 & that can be a rough age. Some will think that you don’t have control over your kid if they act out but that is part of being 4 and growing up. They are developing as well learning who they are and what feelings are. Any mom knows, your kid will have a meltdown over the most random things. Just a few weeks ago we had one over his feet growing because when they grow, he won’t be able to wear the same rain boots. Anyways back to where I was going with this. Going out can be tough when you have small children. There will be people that will say “then you shouldn’t take your kids out” or something along those lines, but how do they experience it if you don’t take them out? Life is all about experiences. You learn from these experiences. Just because I give my child an iPad while waiting for dinner does not mean anything. I am also trying to make your dining experience enjoyable as well without having my any kind of tantrum of meltdown. (Because we all have seen or experienced a bad restaurant moment with a kid.) There is no shame in my game, I will take it along when we go out. I have no problem sharing what my “secret” weapon is for these occasions. And he may or may not watch the iPad while he is eating too! So next time you start to roll your eyes or make comments about a parent letting their child use electronics while out to eat, just know that they are trying to make your time enjoyable as well. XO- Jennifer via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2HzbLbn