Because Going Out Shouldn’t Be So Hard

Shannon says:

I use a version of Marti’s idea. My son is 5. I taught him how to read on the back of a kid’s menu while we waiting for a pizza one day. He was 3.5. It was like math to him. Also, we’d never used the crayons. Crayons are for fine motor show offs and they annoy me. Sorry. Little tangent.
One place in my town gives kids pizza dough while they wait. They can roll it, stretch it, feel it with their lips. I love it. This place also has a counter where kids can face the brick ovens and watch the food being made. A great design.
I also choose a booth to buffer the sound. I avoid window seats because lighting is unpredictable. I tell the host to put us someplace where we won’t disturb anyone (my kids are 3 & 5-boys) and they take it as a heads up that we won’t be coloring in Cinderella’s prom dress.
Smell is a big issue for my son. Better now, but he says he is a good smeller. Bagel places are hard, because onions and garlic are potent. I wish I knew if they were baking something smelly, like Krispie Kreme has a “fresh” sign. I’d drive by it. When I was pregnant, I’d keep a neutral smelling lip balm (eucalyptus) handy. Now I put this on my son’s mouth, near his nose, if we can’t avoid it.
I know when places are busy and Mondays are always slow in eateries, so I stick to these times. Menu changes are hard-even little things. My son doesn’t like syrup floaties in chocolate milk. I ask them to put real (homemade) chocolate milk, into a kid’s cup. I imply it is due to portability, but really, it is the chocolate “legs” like a good wine, that need to be hidden.
Banter among some wait staff is tricky. I tell them his Tae Kwon Do teacher taught him about strangers. The truth is, he doesn’t want to talk about open-ended topic like, “Do you like school?” or “Do you have a lot of friends?” They want a 2 minute chat. He wants 30 minutes, or nothing at all. I feed him lines, sometimes. We also practice in the car. “You say, 3 tickets” and he’ll say, “$20, or something,” and you give him the money.
Also, garnish-free meals are better for us. A spring of parsley on pasta, or powered sugar on a pancake might as well be maggots. The meal is contaminated. I wasted $12 and he is unfed.
I look at the world every building has a disaster inside that can ruin our day. Guilty until proven accommodating. Chains work better, since we can’t live at Disney World (yet).

spectrum dweller says:

when going to a restaurant:

can’t do a restaurant with tables pushed against each other, need space. always prefer the seat facing the room. will avoid restaurants that don’t allow this. specifically frequent restaurants that have quite, niche-type seats, where i can eat mostly removed from others.

i never understand it when the waiter rattles off the specials, and have usually looked at the specials menu beforehand, or find out, from companions, if it’s written down somewear, afterwards.

try as i might, have the damnedest time making eye contact with the waiter, haven’t found solution for htis yet. if with others, they usually do the eye contact.

i am very, very particular about what i can eat, and have adjusted to the fact that, in restaurant-prepared meals, i’ll never get what i wanted, precisely, and i’ll have to adjust once i’ve gotten the meal, pick things out, separate, etc.

have found i usually mash everything together, so getting a stew or meat pie or something like that makes things easier, more sense, less trouble.

if eating by myself, i ALWAYS, ALWAYS bring headphones and an ipod. and i need a book or something to read, cuz i have a hard time focusing on just one thing, need a distraction while i eat, to be doing something else.

if going shopping, again, need an ipod. to block out noise, but also helps to shut out over helpful salespeople. i really like to be like alone in a store unless i specifically ask for help. it helps if the store has nifty things like best buy, target, or libraries, bookstores, where i can go to a computer, or scanner, figure out what i need to on my own.

if anyone’s smoking in the store, or if there are fluorescent flickering lights, will immediately turn around, walk out.

i specifically plan trips to store during off-times, and definitely not right after work, first and fiftteenth, etc.

i have to, in crowded stores, remember to breathe, consciously, continually telling myself to let go, just let go, this’ll be over soon.

anything a store/restaurant can do to respect the above peculiarities/needs of mine would be helpful.

oh, no handshaking, i hate nametags, will always choose a fictional name, and will never, ever remember someone’s name. just something i’ve accepted. and if the employees could avoid touching, they’ll avoid me walking out the store. also, if i see employees wiping their noses, especially ones at the register, i’ll walk out. sneeze on sleeve, mouth covered, use wipes often, etc.
spectrum dweller´s last blog ..no wonder

janny226 says:

Agree with above comments, and also want to add, lower the volume on the music! Better descriptions of what the chicken nuggets/tenders/fingers really are — is it processed? Is the breading going to be crispy? How thick is the coating?
janny226´s last blog ..Why Not Make Him Class Pet?