Have you ever wanted to go out to dinner, but\u00a0didn’t have a babysitter? Consider this idea for having a relaxing dinner without a babysitter.<\/p>\n
One night, we had our hearts set on a chicken parmesan dinner from our favorite Italian restaurant.\u00a0 Our babysitter wasn\u2019t available, nor was her back-up, so we planned to bring the kids with us.\u00a0 Normally, this isn\u2019t a problem.\u00a0 However, that afternoon they were exceptionally loud, active, and uncooperative. Going out to dinner was no longer an option.\u00a0 So we decided to get our meals to go.<\/p>\n
In our case, the only thing that changed was that we were not going out to eat.\u00a0 We were still getting our chicken parmesan meals from a nice restaurant.<\/p>\n
Tip #1:\u00a0Order a nice, fancy meal.<\/strong>\u00a0 This will make your dinner feel special.\u00a0 The key to making this work is to order great food, instead of the usual take-out items like pizza, grinders or wings.<\/p>\n Tip #2: Set the table.<\/strong>\u00a0 To make your dinner at home special, put a table-cloth on your table.\u00a0 Be sure to use silverware, and put the food on your nicest plates.\u00a0 No shortcuts here.\u00a0 You might be tempted to just eat right out of the take-out container, but taking the time to use your dishes will make dinner more enjoyable.<\/p>\n Tip #3: Consider ordering\u00a0your take-out meal\u00a0after the kids go to bed.<\/strong> In our case, we sat with our kids while they ate their dinner. After they ate, our older child agreed to read a book, while our youngest played blocks. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, without the hassle of bringing the children out to eat.\u00a0 However, if you don’t think your kids can play or read quietly, plan to have your dinner after they go to bed.<\/p>\n Tip #4: Plan to have your cocktails at home.\u00a0<\/strong> There’s no need to skip the alcoholic beverages, especially since you’re staying home.\u00a0 So plan ahead, and have a bottle of wine or some margaritas.<\/p>\n From a budget perspective, you will\u00a0save some money:<\/p>\n So the next time you don\u2019t have a babysitter, consider ordering take out.\u00a0 Just be sure to order a great<\/strong><\/em> meal, and set the table accordingly.<\/p>\n Happy dining! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you ever wanted to go out to dinner, but\u00a0didn’t have a babysitter? Consider this idea for having a relaxing dinner without a babysitter. What’s the solution? One night, we had our hearts set on a chicken parmesan dinner from our favorite Italian restaurant.\u00a0 Our babysitter wasn\u2019t available, nor was her back-up, so we planned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3285,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[872,871,870,873],"class_list":["post-3276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meals","tag-babysitter-alternatives","tag-dinner-without-babysitter","tag-no-babysitter","tag-what-to-do-if-babysitter-cancels"],"yoast_head":"\nBudget benefits<\/h4>\n
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