Fast Food

Amy took her final yesterday afternoon, so to celebrate, I offered that we meet up at day care, pick up the kids, and go someplace for dinner. Normally, this would end us up at McDonald's, but since Amy was the honoree, I insisted we instead go to an Indian buffet. (Indian is Amy's favorite food.)

Unfortunately, the kids weren't that hungry, and there wasn't much they felt comfortable eating anyway. And so minutes in, they were getting restless. Jada persevered, nibbling on some nan while jabbering away. But Aaron got increasingly fussy, to the point that he began throwing his usual tantrums: backpedaling angrily, grabbing at or throwing everything he could get his hands on, hurling himself on the ground.

Our normal tactic is to ignore or isolate him, but that's hard to do in a crowded, cramped, public space. I brought him outside for a cool-off, but that only delayed the inevitable. Ultimately, we had to leave, far sooner than my belly wanted.

Amy insisted she had had her fill, and while I could've eaten more, I left satisfied. And we acknowledge that an adult restaurant is a hard setting for a two-year-old at the end of a long week. Still, I lamented having to eat so fast when the food was so good. Some day, Aaron'll learn to behave. Until then, you'll probably find us at McDonald's more often than you do at Indian buffet.