Community Corner

Moms Council: Restaurant Behavior

Local moms discuss kids' behavior issues while dining out.

Moms Talk is part of a North Andover Patch initiative to reach out to moms and families.

North Andover Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families right here in North Andover.

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This week's question: How do your kids behave when you bring them out to eat, and what tricks/tips might you have for managing kids' behavior at restaurants?

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Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Michele Gorham: My oldest loves going out to eat... and I love going out with her! She's at that age now where sitting for an hour or two enjoying a meal is absolutely no big deal.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for my youngest (being 5, definitely not her fault). There's a lot of fidgeting, unnecessary bathroom breaks and random acts of speaking just all together way too loud. So when we go out, which is not often, we plan strategically around the lunch and dinner rush and frequent restaurants that either don't get real busy or have a reputation for catering to younger children. 

If I know the restaurant doesn't offer any child activities (crayons, etc.), I pack my own. We also got into the habit of deciding what we want before we leave the house (LOVE the internet!). Because the majority of restaurants have sites including their full menu, doing this is not only easy but a great way to have one less thing to worry about after we sit down. 

Now there have been times when, even though I planned as best I could, things just go utterly wrong. Tantrums, fighting and running around all lead to the same thing... us in the car going home (most likely hungry). This is more a courtesy to the other people enjoying their meal. After all, just because I have to put up with my children doesn't mean everyone else should have to too, right?

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OUR MOMS COUNCIL

Wendy Bulawa Agudelo -- Wendy is the mother to three young children (5 and under) — including a set of twin boys. In her spare time, she is an avid features writer covering a broad array of parenting topics from special needs to travel with infants. During the day, she earns her stripes as an entrepreneur, operating both a public relations consultancy as well as a targeted theme gift basket business, Period Packs, which celebrates a young girl's foray into womanhood.

Michele Gorham -- Michele is the wife of a Methuen firefighter and mother of two little girls. As the owner of Cookie Central, she is an avid supporter of Share Our Strength and a community leader for MerchantCircle. 

Darcy Rubino -- Darcy is a mom to three kids, ages 5, 7 and 15. She has lived in North Andover for 10 years with her husband, Mike. She is an active volunteer in the community and is co-chair of North Andover Parents Advisory Council for Children with Special Needs (NAPAC).

Diane Kiladis -- Diane is a local mom of two kids and runs the newspaper at Franklin Elementary School, the Franklin Flyer.


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