I remember the first time I took my son to a restaurant. Let’s just say I wish I don't remember it.
Have you ever tried beading a necklace and just when you think you got it, you pick the thread
and all the beads scatter into a million places and pieces? Yup. That’s how it was taking my
ADHD kid to a restaurant.
Just when I thought I had finally sat him down and but on the booster seat belt, he slips through it right when i breathe my sigh of relief and success, I hear him running around to the next table, playing with ketchup and talking to the people on the next
table. Parents with toddlers know exactly how it feels, except mine wasn't a toddler. He was older.
You see I knew better than to take my toddler to a restaurant, so I avoided that as much as I could. I barely took him to the store because it really is the same thing with a different name. No matter where I put my kid, he always moved. He turns his stroller into a high chair, he plays with ketchup and salt. So on two occasions when I took my addhmazing ADHD 6 year old to a restaurant and a business event filled with C.E.O.’s lawyers, and architects where my husband was also working and on both occasions, he was angelic, I wouldn't believe it if I told me either.
First we head to Long Horn restaurant and we get in our seats, (side bar, their buffalo meatballs were heaven but I couldn't walk after eating; sorry I’m a foodie) I almost scoured to secure the ketchup and toothpicks but I noticed something. He picked up the menu and ordered himself a rib eye, and multiple items to the waiter’s surprise,. My son immediately proceeded to get his toys and play with them while we waited for our food. He then picked up the kid’s menu and played the games in there (seriously, who does that?).
It was at that point that I noticed, wow, who are you and what have you done with my son? He drank his cranberry juice without spilling; his hands were not moving all over the place and not once did he get up or move. I have my suspicions that there was a magnetic force field holding him down. The only complaint I had was he was talking too much and wanted to order the entire menu off the restaurant. I would take that any day over my previously Flash kid. We left there very surprised at his behavior. I was singing praises to Jesus for that miracle.
The next week, my husband invited me to an event he was working in, I don't know why he forgot we have a child, I guess my son has really been behaving well that silence makes us think we don't have a kid, but anyway boy was he shocked when I came with our son. Before we walked in, I explained to my son that daddy would be working and he can't be with him (because you know they are stuck to the hips). We walked in with a prayer.
He sat down at the table, we went to order food. We did have a mishap when he wanted fish and I didn't budge because he was rude (yes I am a perfectionist). He refused to ask nicely so I casually took him to a chair and told him when he was ready to apologize he should let me know; then I walked a few steps away to eat fish. He stayed there for a while and later came up to me to apologize. After that small mishap, the rest of the day went smoothly. He ate his meal, asked for daddy for the 10th time and I said he was busy. We then went over to what was a man making pasta from scratch and he took to my son, my son became his sous chef. They rolled pasta together for hours, ok many many minutes. I even forgot I had a son. I even packed his favorite book that he forgot to ask for. When it was time to leave, he willingly came with us. I was shocked I didn't hear his favorite phrase of the night; “ I’m bored”.
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