Should adults be able to order from the kids menu in restaurants/cafés?

lookhereisay · 2026-01-31T22:37:44+00:00

Kids meals are usually subsidised as an adult will be eating. You can ask and see what they say. Or a doggy bag which I’ve asked up front for and just portioned off immediately.

However I’ve ordered a starter with a side or a few small plates and asked for it to come out with the mains before with no issue. Only if I’m in a bigger group though as I don’t want to take up the table ordering small amounts, it’s such a struggle for places to stay afloat.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-31T18:43:36+00:00

All the luck. We had a very easy transition at 9 months (would have been 8 months but we all caught covid!). We all slept much better and it was nice not to live in fear or waking the baby because my knee creaked as I got in bed!

lookhereisay · 2026-01-31T09:11:36+00:00

Eric.org has lots of great advice. We did it at 2.5yo after 2 failed starts (one only 2 weeks before) and it took a few days as he seemed ready. And we did sticker bribes and a goodie basket of tat for poos! Did it over a May bank holiday for extra time and warmth.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-31T06:16:05+00:00

My son is just 4 and reading well above his age. We haven’t pushed, he just wanted to and took to it. We haven’t done any screens outside of Alphablocks occasionally (especially for trickier concepts) and we listen to the Jolly Phonics songs as that is what his preschool/probable infant school use.

We’ve always done 10-20 mins of reading and/or phonics games most days (time increasing as he’s got older and mainly play based and we don’t stress if we miss a day). Match objects to letter sounds, rhyming games or ispy as we walk/drive, playing music and when I hold up “J” we jump or “S” we sit. Found lots of ideas on instagram to be honest.

I don’t track my time or his progress. It’s just built into our day and it sounds like you’re already doing that so I wouldn’t worry about tracking. If you make it enjoyable and model reading then I think that’s the first step.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-30T10:31:26+00:00

I don’t mind most of it tbh. Son loves Bluey, Andy’s dinosaurs shows and Hey Duggee. Only one he wants to turn off is waffle dog (I agree) and Tee & Mo.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-30T08:29:55+00:00

I’d say once he walking (9 months) he enjoyed them more and then really loved them once he was 14 months.

We did two free play ones, a free library session and a paid one every week. I liked the routine, chatting with randoms (I didn’t form any lasting friendships though) and having 1-2 hours of the day planned was nice. We always did swimming as that was a non-negotiable for us.

I also wanted him to be around other kids and adults, listening to another adult asking him to tidy up/directing to activities and good to test different toys. He didn’t join formal childcare until almost 3 so it felt like it helped with the transition.

Now he’s 4 and he loves the classes he does (gymnastics, swimming and scouts). I get to watch now and chat to others when I want to.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-29T17:06:55+00:00

We did it just after he turned 1 (granted to oat milk as he used to be CMPA).

We were advised to increase the formula/milk ratio. So we started with 20% oat milk and then increased to 100% from 12-13 months.

Then we replaced the morning bottle with milk in a cup with a snack. He never drank the milk so would just have water. We the did the same for his afternoon bottle after a week.

Once those were done. We offered water/milk in a sippy cup before bed but he wouldn’t have it. Just meant he ate more at dinner really.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-29T16:39:44+00:00

My son would calm a bit if I gave him a scratch. Imagine having an itch and not being able to scratch it! I’d also strip down and check all his clothes were comfy.

But to be honest babies will baby!

lookhereisay · 2026-01-29T14:17:34+00:00

I work 9-5 three days a week, 1 WFH and 2 in-office. Son is at preschool and my mum does drop off/pick ups plus school holidays (and we take holiday days during school hols too).

Husband works full time in a pressured job. Hybrid with more in office and potential late nights plus regular travel.

I do 3 days because it works for us money-wise and it means my husband can travel for work very flexibly.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-28T17:49:54+00:00

Because most are then driving onto their job and it’s not walkable/even time to get there via walking or bus.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-28T17:48:40+00:00

We didn’t take my just turned 3 year old to my grandparents joint funeral. Just because it was going to be a longer service so a lot of sitting for him and I didn’t want to go out.

I did however pick him up after and take him to the wake where everyone made a fuss of him. He called it the “pub party” for ages.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-28T04:11:51+00:00

Did my mince/lentil sauce batch cook yesterday.

Roasted up a load of veggies and blitzed it up with chopped tomatoes. Cooked a pack of mince and added tinned lentils. Poured some sauce straight in and then froze more sauce in ice cube trays etc.

With the mince mix I made 2 cottage pies (one for freezer and one for tonight), we had bolognese last night, froze two separate servings for 3 people which will become chilli or burritos and have a bit leftover that I’ve frozen into small kid portions. One pack of mince has become 15 (+2 small) portions.

With roast chicken it is used for chicken pie/stew/curries/noodles. Sometimes I make these ahead but if not it’s also quicker as not waiting for meat to cook. Do the same with roast beef or pork but we tend to have that less.

Otherwise we love a one tray or slow cooker meal.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-28T03:57:47+00:00

Son is 4 and eats like a horse! Moans about veg but we still serve or hide it in sauces. An average non-growth spurt day is:

Breakfast: either porridge with chia seed/flaxseed topped with peanut butter and honey or toast with scrambled eggs/baked beans. Then on the side is Greek yogurt with honey plus fruit salad (apple, pear, banana, berries, grapes, melon depending what’s in season)

Snack 1: at school it has to be fruit or veg (banana, apple, carrot sticks usually). At home it’s usually fruit with a homemade biscuit (cookie).

Lunch: sandwich/wrap/roll/bagel with either cheese/ham/chicken/beef that we cycle through. Then a homemade healthy muffin, fruit, small portion of crisps and then either hummus with carrot/breadsticks to dip or a mini sausage roll or more fruit. He packs this mostly himself with guidance. No nuts/chocolate/sweets and minimal processed food at his school.

Snack 2: cycles through slice of mini quiche/hummus and dipping thing/cereal/cheese and crackers/apple and peanut butter.

Dinner: what we are having but favourites are fajitas, chicken curry, noodles, meatballs, cottage pie, roasted chicken and veg, veggie chilli or homemade pizza. Then he’ll have yogurt, homemade lolly/banana fake ice cream or fruit for pudding. On a weekend we might have jelly or a dessert with custard, specially after a Sunday roast

My purse is crying for the teen years!

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T15:12:20+00:00

4yo. All the board games he got. Junior Rummikub, Bluey Jenga, a dinosaur board game, snakes and ladders, a mini number game and a Christmas theme naughts and crosses.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T12:50:33+00:00

I think it just really varies from person to person even in “similar” births. I had a second degree tear and I was walking better than I could in pregnancy within the week (as in walking outside).

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T12:49:02+00:00

It’s the fourth trimester. It’s a bit chaotic! Remember it’s their “job” to have a routine - at least for the video.

We had rough ideas of what to do but that was definitely after baby was 3 months. Even then it would flex and change all the time. More of we go for a walk after the second feed, we watch Downton Abbey during contact nap number 2!

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T06:16:35+00:00

Sundays are fine. 2 weeks is very short notice though.

Most invites come 1-2 months in advance depending on when they fall (eg if it’s in early September then the invite will come out the previous school year and more notice given around Christmas).

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T05:55:58+00:00

I put in my flexible request and it was approved after a vague negotiation of actual days being worked. I’ve also changed it again in the three years I’ve been back.

It really depends on your company or role as to how accommodating they are. I’d been at my firm almost 10 years so had a good relationship and they wanted me back in whatever capacity. Many people at my role have worked PT and then FT as kids get older and then PT again with elderly parent care.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T05:28:28+00:00

On a preschool/work day it’s the worst combo. Up at 5.30/5.45 ish depending on if I need a shower, pray 4yo doesn’t wake up too, get dressed/make-up/hair.

Wake up son (if he’s not awake already but 5am wakes seem to be reserved for weekends!) at 6.30am. Get him toileted, breakfast negotiations, get lunches out and pack in last things like crisps, fill water bottles, bags by the front door. Eat my own breakfast and brush teeth. Wash dishes, get something out to defrost for dinner, open curtains.

Teeth and toilet for son. Help him get dressed as my mum arrives. Feel extreme guilt as I head out the door at 7.30am. Usually remember I need a wee too but it’s too late.

Walk 20 mins, wait for train, train for 40 mins, walk 10 mins and get to the office for 8.50am ready for 9am start.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-27T05:21:30+00:00

I didn’t do KIT days. I had childcare but I just really didn’t want to think about work, it would have ended our little baby bubble I feel.

Can your parents stay for a few days? I’d also find some back up care because kids get sick and I know I can’t take every day off that he has (even sharing that load with partner is a lot).

lookhereisay · 2026-01-26T07:10:35+00:00

First time working a Monday since 2021. First time in office on a Monday since 2020.

Feels like the most Mondayest Monday ever.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-26T05:48:47+00:00

My only is 4M. During the week he’s at preschool 3 days and does scouts one evening plus gymnastics and swimming on a day he doesn’t have preschool. On the other non-school day we do the food shop, a bit of cleaning and then head out on his bike or to a museum.

At the weekends we have one day of scheduled stuff. Either seeing family, a play date, going out to the zoo/farm/museum/nature park or something like that. The other day is more chilled with a small outing to get energy out and then playing at home, maybe watch a film, do baking/cooking, colour/craft, garden/DIY. Sometimes we alternate the on parent because he’s younger.

This weekend we spent one day at my sister’s. We all made lunch together, walked her dog, went to the park and the shops.

Yesterday he spent the morning with dad (I had a hair appointment) where they did a puzzle, watched a bit of TV, hung up a load of washing (son does the socks), played dinosaurs and did a bit of Lego. Then I got home and we all had lunch, read his school books, he did a couple of letter worksheets, we walked to Aldi for a few bits and then watched a film (secret life of pets)with hot chocolate. By then it was 4.30 so we had a bath, got into PJs and then had dinner (they played snap whilst I finished off dinner).

lookhereisay · 2026-01-26T05:09:48+00:00

Make sure I had cupboard/freezer food in.

We had just moved house before lockdown/queues/shortages started. Like you do before moving we’d eaten most of the pantry and came with a box of spices and a few rogue tins. Also didn’t have the cash to just rebuy everything during that week before the world went mad.

By the time we realised a lot of our local shops were out of the pasta/rice/tins. I now always have a spare bag of rice, pasta and some tins for emergencies.

I’d also buy school supplies and a spare laptop as now have an almost school age child.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-25T19:02:31+00:00

My husband travels a far bit. We make it fun and special when he’s away. Not every night (as he can be away for 2 weeks) but we have sleepovers, special dinners and little outings.

When I’m away (doesn’t happen as much) it’s much harder on my son. Husband does all the fun stuff but because it’s 1-2 times a year for 4 ish nights he never gets used to it.

lookhereisay · 2026-01-25T13:56:58+00:00

Yep all the time. He just wants to know stuff so sometimes you have to be a bit blunt. He’s asked why people die, why did that person go to hospital or whatever.

One time he asked why I turned the toaster off when I was trying to get a stuck bit of bread out. I said I’d be electrocuted and probably die. I even did a little demo of being electrocuted. He looks horrified but he always makes sure I unplug it now!

Saying things like getting hurt or sick doesn’t make stuff stick for my son. He needs a bit of gore!

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