Name: Natalie Barnes
Suburb: Malvern East
Kids: 3 boys - Teeny (21 months), Tiny (4) and Little (5)
How often do you eat out at cafes and restaurants with your little ones?
Kids: 3 boys - Teeny (21 months), Tiny (4) and Little (5)
How often do you eat out at cafes and restaurants with your little ones?
The little ones and I have a treat at our local café once a week, which I adore and introduced for each of them from a young age. We rarely go out to restaurants and instead enjoy yummy meals together at home on the weekends.
Do you eat out more or less often since you have had kids? Why is that?
I definitely eat out less. Before kids, I loved going out for brunch and dinner every weekend, as well as other nights of the week when it took my fancy. Sipping a latte over the morning paper or maintaining a deep conversation over dinner is my idea of a good time, but it’s not the same for the little ones, so I have those times at home these days.
Do you have any horror stories or embarrassing moments that have happened when eating out at cafes with your little ones?
There have been moments when something inappropriate has been said loudly or I’ve worn their food or drink as things were knocked over, but I don’t think of it as a horror story. We all have those moments when we say something we shouldn’t and days when we’re a little more distracted or clumsy than usual and accidents happen.
Do you have any tips for taking little ones to Cafes?
I don’t expect the little ones to behave like adults and sit still at the table having hushed conversations and a three-course meal. There will be laughter, noise and activity so I take them to cafes that are kid-friendly where they can play a game of snap and giggle at each other’s silly knock-knock jokes. Having said that, I don’t allow them to run wild and be disruptive to other patrons so we don’t go out when they’re full of energy - those are the days for a takeaway coffee and a walk to the park.
We also go out for morning or afternoon tea rather than meals as I don’t expect them to sit still for a long period – there’s too much fun to be had to be stuck in a chair and I find there’s a time limit before they become restless. Practice makes perfect so even if we have an outing doesn’t go to plan, we try again.
I prepare by making sure I have games, books, pens, and so on in my bag for those moments of boredom and will often let them choose a toy to bring along.
The other terrific advice I heard that I like to keep in mind is what Little Eats wrote in our first issue – “Relax... last but not least, no one is judging you so remember to relax, enjoy, laugh and just have fun with your family.” Such true words and we live by this.
What is your favourite kid-friendly Melbourne Cafe?
We love our local café, Mr Percival in Malvern East. The service is friendly, the books and activities for little ones are pounced on by my boys every visit, the coffee is yummy and according to my boys, their kids milkshakes made with bio-dynamic unhomogenised milk are “the best milkshake I ever had”.
Thankyou lovely Nat for your interview.
We are looking forward to your special guest review of Mr Percival soon.
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xx
