Dining Out with the Kids

Picture this: I'm out doing some shopping one day before Christmas and I get a text from my wife, who is out with a friend and our two girls having lunch at Mexican Fiesta. "Emma has gone into timeout twice since we've been at lunch," she wrote. "Gah!!"

I called her about 15 minutes later to check up on the situation. "She kicked the table over," she said, referring to our 2 1/2 year old, who was apparently being ... uncooperative, "and when I grabbed her, she broke free and ran out the front door into the parking lot."

Sound familiar?

It's an all-too-common battle, one that is waged on many fronts – at home, on the go (the drive-through at , for example) or in restaurants. Disagreements can't always be avoided, but steps can be taken to minimize the struggle parents encounter when dining out with their kids. It takes prep work and planning. Mostly, however, a stress-free night out with your kids can be achieved by developing one important thing: Routine.

We do it every day. We wake our kids at a certain point each morning, get the school-age children to the bus on time, put our little ones down for naps in the afternoon, and get them all to bed at roughly the same time eacb night. So, why not do the same for our dining excursions? It is a relatively easy task to undertake – and to control (within reason). Canton has an abundance of family-friendly places to take your kids to eat, at any time of day, for a relatively reasonable price. The key is to get online, check out menus, then call and inquire about their kid-friendly accommodations.

Most Canton restaurants are on or near Ford Road, and while it is often one of the hardest arteries to traverse in western Wayne County, access from just about every major crossroad can put you in a parking spot at a good restaurant within minutes (if space is available). Practice is yet another vital key, though. If you want to be reassured that your restaurant choice is going to yield a positive experience, you need to try out a variety of them. This way, you can build a personal directory of your favorite places to eat. (On that note, Patch has a great list of restaurants in its directory.)

A few things to look for: quick service, kid diversions (TVs, kid-activity placemats, games, etc.), kid seating (booths, high-chairs, boosters), and of course a reasonably priced and diverse kids menu. Timing is also important when venturing out. Evenings are going to be busy for any restaurant, especially 7-9 p.m. So, go early. Make sure you have all the necessary back-ups for your kids – bottles, a packed bag, toys, crayons – and get in the habit of knowing who likes what best so you can give each of them a turn to eat at their favorite place.

5 Canton Kid-Friendly Spots

, 2240 N Canton Center Rd. (in the Meijer parking lot); 734-981-3370: The kids' menu prices are $3.99, and it offers grilled cheese, corn dogs, chicken tenders, a burger and mac 'n' cheese. For 99 cents, kids can also enjoy the all-you-can-eat sundae bar, which has caramel and chocolate, a variety of candy toppings and whipped cream.

, 201 N. Canton Center Rd.; 734-981-9904: Mondays after 3 p.m., kids eat free. The menu includes spaghetti, mac 'n' cheese, burger and fries, grilled cheese and dinosaur-shaped chicken tenders. All kids' meals, Tuesday through Sunday, are $4.50.

, 43711 Michigan Ave., 734-394-1000: Breakfast is served all day – which is great news for kids. The kids menu includes grilled cheese, hot dogs, burgers, chicken strips and corn dogs. All meals are served with fries. A variety of cereals are also available. Prices are all around $4.

Bob Evans, / ., / : Kids can select from breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, which include chocolate chip pancakes and French toast dippers, grilled cheese and chicken strips, as well as a turkey dinner and spaghetti.  All meals are $2.99, though kids drinks – which include juice, milk (chocolate and white), hot chocolate and "bottomless" fountain drinks – are extra.

, 42001 Ford Rd.; 734-981-0333: Pizza and an abundance of rides and games are the attraction, though there are other choices for kids on the menu. There is a salad bar, hot dogs, chicken wings, mozzarella sticks and personal-sized pizzas. Kids can redeem tickets from games for prizes and Chuck E. Cheese the mouse makes his rounds every night. Prices vary and coupons can be printed online.