I love the thought of my kids’ fingers being covered in Zaddy sauce while they eat snow crab clusterand their excitement as they bend the bowl just right and devour a huge piece of meat after covering it with butter.
An evening at Clawdaddy is one of my favorite dinners with my children, ages 11 and 13. As a divorced mother, these are meals out and the time we spend eating it together means even more to me.
That’s why I never want to give them up, even though these nights out are becoming more and more expensive.
I love spending more time with my children
My desire to eat out regularly with my children comes from the limited time I have with them. They are with me every other week, so two weeks out of the month, plus dinner on Wednesdays if it’s not my time.
I remember pleading for an extra Wednesday dinner during my divorce so that I could at least count on seeing my children, who were then 5 and 7 years old, mid-week when I was not with them.
For me, it meant there was always a dinner to plan or a reservation to make, and I looked forward to it. These dinners helped me through the loneliness of adjusting to separated motherhood.
Going out feels special
At first, eating out was a perfect way to get used to this new chapter in our lives.
When the three of us were sharing a meal at a restaurant, I felt the eyes of other diners on me, and may have wondered why I was eating alone with my young children, but we just did our thing.
Sometimes the three of us would sit on the same side of the booth, and I loved it. I smiled as my kids pointed out which menu item they wanted to order, opened crayons, and admired the picture they were coloring. It felt special. We could be silly and laugh, and nothing mattered but us when we went out to eat. These dinners helped me feel more confident about being alone that first year.
The author said she can see a different side of her children when they are away from the distractions of home. Thanks to Isabella Jade.
Sometimes we touched each other Olive gardenor opt for BBQ and ice cream, or maybe we’ll go Benihana for a surprise treat. As the years have passed, eating out has only become more fun, especially since my kids finally want to explore new foods and restaurants.
I’m still keeping an eye on expenses
Eating out can be expensive, but we do our best to stay within our means.
We usually eat out about four times a month. That’s why I plan our grocery budget around these outings.
I also spend less on other activities with my children. Now, instead of buying tickets to the zoo, trampoline park, arcade or children’s museums (plus the gift shop and snacks) like I did when they were younger, I spend about the same amount on eating out. It’s a new – and fun – way to make memories.
The author said she and her children eat out at least four times a month, and she plans her grocery budget accordingly. Thanks to Isabella Jade.
As my children get older, I know these restaurant meals are a worthwhile investment. My kids have full schedules with long school days and extracurricular activities, and they are becoming more independent and wanting to spend time with their friends, so our limited time together can feel even more limited.
Our dinners are not just about food. We discuss life lessons, ups and downs I’ve experienced, and family stories. It’s easier to focus on that when I’m not busy preparing the meal, cleaning the dishes, or battling other distractions at home.
I sit at the table full of gratitude, together with my favorite people. When the bill comes, it is always worth every cent.
