Before you say “Are you crazy?,” please take a moment to hear me out… I’m one of those moms who believes that having kids shouldn’t stop you from doing the things you did before you had a family.  Instead, do the same things, but do them differently or find ways to render them kid-friendly.  I apply this approach to everything from hiking to travelling, exercising and even, eating out in fine restaurants.  Yes, you read correctly. I know, probably no one believes me, so I included a few pics as living proof!

While I have alot of tools in my arsenal to make these little adventures feasible (such as small puzzles, crayons and coloring books), none has been more successful than my iPod. When we dine out, our 3 year old daughter loves to tag along. The only caveat?  Kids like to gobble up their food while adults like to linger. And it’s at precisely this moment that we introduce the iPod from my handbag.  We make sure that it’s recharged and loaded up with her favorite shows. Suddenly everybody’s happy.  In the case of my 9 month old son, he’s usually pretty content to play with a tray full of Cheerios and small toys that I bring along in the diaper bag.

If you generally enjoy taking your kids out or simply can’t find a sitter, then consider giving the iPod trick a try.  Worried about handing over such a pricey item to a toddler?  Might I suggest purchasing a kid-friendly protective case?  We found a great one from iFrogz that we purchased online at www.ifrogz.com. (That’s a picture of my daughter dining at Ming Tsai’s restaurant, Blue Ginger. BTW: A very child-friendly restaurant. It was refreshing to see such a fine establishment with such a warm and welcoming staff when it comes to small children.) 

As you can see in the photo, the iPod cover has easy-grip handles and its thick rubber casing protects it from drops or a case of the oopsies!  We also purchased the adjustable kid-sized headphones which offer volume control for children’s sensitive ears - something that I wish more kids toys would consider these days, but that’s another story…

I cannot tell you how many times other diners stop me to inquire about the iPod case and to comment on what a great idea the iPod is.  I really think that when it comes to our kids, we need to work with technology instead of against it.  I’m not saying that watching Dora the Explorer or Go Diego, Go! is the answer to everything, far from it, but I think it has its time and place. In this case, stepping out with Mom & Dad.  Try it for yourself, I think you might be pleasantly surprised at just how delightful your little dining companions can be. 

[tags]iPod, ifrogz, ming tsai, blue ginger[/tags]   

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