My daughter and I have been going to restaurants (some nice) since she was a baby. I raised her to enjoy and behave well in restaurants. It's one reason she prefers hanging with me to hanging with her dad - they rarely go out.

I thought this was going to be about a Dad who felt uncomfortable going out with a mature-looking tween/teen girl because he was afraid people would think it was a date or weird. In which case, I would say be a parent! Enjoy time with your kid! Eff other people with sick minds.

But yeah, OP I'm glad you are working on getting out more. Enjoy your time with your kid. You don't even need to eff other people -- no one will think it's weird.

Not at all. I've always dined out alone with just one of my kids, especially if DH and the other kid are away for the other kid's sports, or something like that. Usually it's a great time and the one kid I go out with loves being able to make more choices.

I kind of feel sorry for you OP. My DH golfs on Sats. So I often go out with my kid. I never gave it a second thought. We love our one-time one one time together. Is your DH opposed to the idea or something? Does he begrudge your spending?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? Strange question.

I never see it, so I feel anxious doing it.

You might need therapy. This is a very odd reaction. I suspect this is the tip of the iceberg with you.

You can do this. No problem.

Anonymous wrote:As a single mom, I find your question offensive. Do you think all single parents should not take their kids out to nice dinners because someone might think it’s weird?

No. We're supposed to wear a constant expression of sorrow as a silent justification for women who stay with their cheating husbands and/or have "children the right way." I am not a single parent by choice - and I work very hard to be UMC and give my kid a great childhood - which includes travel and the occasional nice meal out. I see plenty of other mothers and fathers eating solo with their kids. It sounds like OP has some issues to work through in her marriage that make her feel unworthy of eating out with her kid. Life is too short. Get therapy.

I go out all the time with my 12 yo daughter. She’s really into to sushi and trying new types of restaurants. My husband and son are not. They come if it’s a diner, bbq or all American place. I love having one on one time with my daughter. We have been doing this for years.

The random times I’m one-on-one with one of my 3 teens is the best because we go out to nice dinners. It’s one of my favorite things and I like to think it’s theirs, too. I love to try new and trendy places with them. One of the reasons living in a place like DC is so great!

No, why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? Strange question.

I never see it, so I feel anxious doing it.

You feel anxious going with your kid to dinner?? I'm so confused.

Anonymous wrote:It’s not weird at all.

I wouldn’t even notice if I was in a nice restaurant with a table with one adult, one child.

There are a lot of families with one parent, one kid.

Also, I would assume and aunt, uncle, older cousin, grandparent, close family friend would take a child out to a nicer restaurant for a new experience, celebration or just because they like high quality food.

Don’t overthink it!

I wouldn't notice it in any kind of restaurant. Fast food, fast casual, fine, etc. There are hundreds of millions of people in the US. Who takes note of a parent and a child dining together?

It’s not weird at all.

I wouldn’t even notice if I was in a nice restaurant with a table with one adult, one child.

There are a lot of families with one parent, one kid.

Also, I would assume and aunt, uncle, older cousin, grandparent, close family friend would take a child out to a nicer restaurant for a new experience, celebration or just because they like high quality food.

Don’t overthink it!

I don’t know how some people get through the day.

It's fine. I would ask my kid how he/she feels about dad being MIA. This seems like the next logical question, based on this initial post. I mean, it's weird, yeah?