Rank it right up there with lollipops before dinner and skipping mittens when playing in the snow (not because I can't find them, but simply because they are a pain in the butt to get on). It's one of those things that I swore I'd never do with my children, at least on a habitual basis. And yet I've found myself back two weeks in a row, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. The horrific "it" I'm referring to is none other than lunch at McDonald's. The best part is, I'm apparently the last mother on earth to discover this magical place as a viable option for a meal with a 2-year-old. Better late than never, right?
We've established a fun little routine on Tuesdays. After our new indoor soccer class, we follow the caravan to a nearby McDonald's for a quick, laid-back lunch. On our first visit, it took me 10 minutes to order and I was nervous about Daniel sitting alone with the other kids (see above photo). By the second visit, I had my order down pat and placed Daniel's food at the kids' table while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with the other Mommies. I always shuddered at the thought of becoming one of those moms who relies on fast food to keep her kids satiated and satisfied. I swore upside down and backwards that I would never resort to fast food on a regular basis. But then I tried it. And my practical side kicked the ass of the idealist in me.
Not only is McDonald's a great place with kids because of the speed with which you get your food, but said food isn't too bad in the taste department, either. I've stuck with the southwest salad with crispy chicken (a little indulgent, yes) and I'm actually enjoying it! Daniel seems to love the chicken nuggets (he'll eat 3 out of a 4-piece order, kindly leaving one for me to nosh on as I walk his tray to the trash can), and he ate the apple slices in week 2 with as much vigor as he ate the french fries in week 1 (don't worry, he'll learn). The piece de resistance? The Happy Meal toy, of course! For two weeks in a row, Daniel has gotten Star Wars-themed key chains -- one Darth Vader and one R2-D2. These trinkets are cool enough to keep him enthralled while he eats his lunch, even if he does forget about them once we get home.
At McDonald's, the tables and chairs are kid-friendly, in that they are bolted to the floor and cannot be knocked over. The mom-and-kid crowd basically takes over the place at lunchtime, so other patrons expect there to be children running loose. If your kids are well-behaved, then BONUS! You may actually get to chew your food and enjoy your lunch before it becomes apparent that your child is ready to leave (like when Daniel wandered over to the trash cans and started fishing around for surprises). After our week 2 lunch, I was in no rush to leave and I allowed Daniel to play outside on the "Playland" structure. As I watched him run and climb with a look of pure joy in his eyes, I thought to myself, This is great! My child is satiated, satisfied, and happy. And now he's going to burn off a little extra energy before going home to nap. What's wrong with that?
2 comments:
Cute picture of Daniel and his friends. When one of them takes a bite of something the others watch and do the same thing. I remember those days at McDonald's. We had our share of birthday parties there. He must know by now that Tuesday's are soccer and McDonald's day. So cute. Enjoyed reading this. XO MOM XO
I so know where you're coming from. My Jonah didn't have fast food until he was close to four. But now he goes once a week with my mother in law and it is a blissful break for me. I think Eli had fast food before he was a year!
The best part about being a mom is realizing how so very very wrong you were before you were a mom.
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