Appropriate age group:
Infants
Toddlers

Description:
Sometimes no matter how well you time your excursion and plan ahead, your child will just not be in the mood to cooperate. If your baby or toddler has thrown all of his or her toys on the floor, already done several laps around the restaurant, is unable to sit still and is obviously growing more restless by the minute, it's probably time for you to go. When you have tried everything in your bag of tricks and can still not quiet your child, the best thing to do for everyone involved is politely ask your waiter to pack up your food to go. There is no point in getting angry or stressed. Before venturing out you must acknowledge that going out to eat with a child is a gamble -- sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The key to avoiding a meltdown in public is knowing when your child has had enough. Be proactive and try not to wait until your child is screaming to begin packing up your things.