As I look back, it’s hard to believe how quickly the years have flown by. Those moments that once felt endless now seem like a distant memory. You know they would grow up fast, but experiencing it is a different story. You often find yourself longing for those times, even the mundane experiences, like eating out with your children.
I miss the way their little bodies squirmed in their seats, as if they had ants in their pants, and the way they would clamber over me to sneak a peek at the table next to us. I even miss the way their tiny feet would rest on my face while I tried to delicately navigate a fork toward my mouth, as if I were defusing a bomb instead of just trying to eat.
Honestly, I’ll even miss the moments of having someone else’s behind right in my face while I attempt to enjoy my meal. The mad dash to the bathroom, where one child always needs to go right after another, was a constant source of chaos. And who could forget the battle for the croutons on my plate? The anticipation of whether I would ever get to enjoy one again was always bittersweet.
I’ll miss the splash of cold water that would land on my lap as someone inevitably knocks over their drink. Those chubby fingers reaching into my mouth to snatch food right as I’m chewing—only for them to decide they don’t like it and return the half-eaten morsel to me—will forever be etched in my memory.
And then there’s the thrill of watching crayons tumble to the ground repeatedly, forcing them to dive under the table into who knows what kind of restaurant grime. It’s a bizarre design choice, giving round crayons to little hands! I’ll miss the little sibling squabbles that anchored every meal, the “he said, she said” disputes that ended in tears, mostly mine.
I remember scanning every menu with the hope of selecting their orders first, sometimes entirely forgetting about my own needs! The aftermath of a meal looked like a tornado had swept through, items tossed about in a chaotic, yet oddly methodical manner. Yes, I tipped generously, often more than the meal itself, to compensate for the delightful mess.
Now that my kids are all grown up, I can assure you that you will miss these precious moments. So, take them out, endure the spills and the mess, because one day you’ll realize how much you long for this chaos. Yet, when someone tells me to cherish every moment of cleaning crouton crumbs out of my shirt, I can’t help but roll my eyes.
In those moments, I often grab the takeout menus or reach for the Goldfish, muttering a timeless parenting mantra: “Hello, Dominos? I’d like to place an order for delivery.”
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Summary:
This article reflects on the fleeting yet memorable experiences of dining out with kids. The chaos, mess, and little quirks of family meals create lasting memories that parents will ultimately cherish. As children grow, those moments become nostalgic reminders of the challenges and joys of parenthood.