Dining Out on Father's Day?

[Golden Retriever]

My wife suggested heading to a brunch on Sunday with good friends of ours who also have babies. I find dining out with young ones not overly enjoyable. Am I alone on this or do you guys agree? I'd much rather have a nice backyard BBQ with good food and the kids can run around. Much less stress. What are you plans for Sunday?

[mjknapp]

I agree with you 100%. I enjoy taking the kids with us out to eat, it is a good family experience, but it is so nice to be able to go out to eat at a nice restaurant with other adults without the presence of kids. It is so nice to be able to have a conversation with friends or family without having to stop mid-sentence to tell the kids to quit yelling or to sit down.
It is funny, my wife and I just had this conversation last weekend when we were going out with the family for my sister-inlaws birthday. She wanted to take the kids, and I wanted to have them go to the babysitter's so that we could enjoy a nice dinner. I talked her into it in the end, and we had a very nice dinner, and she was so thankful we didnt have the kids, because we had such a good time.

[mjknapp]

Oh, I love the backyard BBQ's. Having a beer, watching the kids run around, grilling, that is the life. We are having some people over on sunday and I am gonna grill some big steaks, and drink and have alot of fun. The "DINK's" of the world have no idea what a good backyard BBQ is all about.
And dont forget the horseshoes, gotta have them.

[tt3]

I live for the grill. Usually though, when we go out, I let Val take care of the squirt so that I can enjoy it a little more. Since I'm the one that does the vast majority of the cooking and cleaning at home, its nice to be catered to once in a while too.
I gotta say though, there's nothing like a fat steak off the grill with a fresh brewed pale ale to quench your thirst! :D

[Don-Dad]

Beer, BBQ, fathers day = Fun!

My wife tends to suggest the "eat out" thing on occasions such as fathers day but my 4 year old is more work than fun at a fine dining establishment and now our 9 month old is no picnic either. I'll take the BBQ please :D

[tt3]

Oh, but this Father's day we'll be at a nephews birthday party then driving 2.5 hrs...
:cry:
oh well... at least I have beer at home! :lol:

[Remington]

When is Father's Day?

[mjknapp]

It is sunday for most fathers, but for us it is everyday right!!!!

[Canuck]

Were having my wife's parents over for dinner that day. The Moms are cooking and barbeceuing. I am going to sit back and have some gin and tonics in the sun and enjoy. I am not on diaper duty all day. I said no way we were eating out. Too tough with a wild toddler. It becomes more work than pleasure. When we eat out its Wendy's or McDs with the baby or somewhere nice if we get a babysitter.

[mjknapp]

Mcdonalds, or wendy's, only seasoned parents call that eating out. LOL

[stizz]

My wife got us reservations at Benihanas for fathers day. Its one of my favorite places to eat out,...Max is at about 11 weeks, and I think we'll be ok if the timing is right, but how much longer can I expect him to be infant managable? When i say that, I mean,.when does he become a problem to take out? My neighbors have a son the exact same age, and they told me they were succesful going to the movies even, so I imagine dinner is doable.

[mjknapp]

I think all kids are capable of being good when dining out, just the parents have to have them in check, I think the best compliment I have ever gotten was a few months ago, we all went out to eat, had a nice dinner, and were getting ready to leave, the couple behind us stopped me and told me how well behaved my kids were, they said they never realized we had kids with us until they saw them. I am not saying that they dont act up, but they are normally pretty good for us. But it is still alot nicer going out without them everyonce in a while.

[Don-Dad]

Keeping them i check can be hard. My son is either really good or really bad. Now my 9 month old is getting to the stage where he wants out of his seat and into everything. Ahhh, I can dream about a quiet dinner at a fine dining establishment.

Stizz, your fine til about 8 months or so, then eating out can get tougher. But some children are more mellow than others, maybe you'll get lucky! :-({|=

[Remington]

My daughter was great at the movies for the first 6 months. Man... nobody would ever know she was with us. She would zonk right out and sleep the entire time. We could bring her out to eat and we would get sweat looks from people.

"aaawwwww.... she is soooo beautiful...."

After 6 months. NOPE! Fuss and cry and people get ticked off at the movies and restaurants. You learn to have fun staying home for dinner and rent a movie. :D

[mjknapp]

I have never tried taling any of my kids to the movies, well we took them to watch like nemo or shrek. But a family movie I have never tried, I guess I am trying to be considerate of others, even though there is alot of people who just dont care.

[Don-Dad]

I am going out with my buddies the night before, it's a 2.5 hour drive, spending the night, part of my fathers day gift. We are going to drink some beer and play Texas Hold'em. No special Fathers day dinner, probably a 2.5 hours drive with a hangover.

[mjknapp]

Nice, Texas hold-em is such a grat game. I am jealous of you, as my neighbor and I had a hold-em game planned for saturday night, but two of our players backed out, and we dont have enough people. Good luck, and have alot of fun.