It’s Not You, It’s Us

We have isolated ourselves and are finding our way out of it, one social engagement at a time. ⁣

“Oh, and the check please.” Those words will come out of our mouths as we finish placing the order. Once the food hits the table, we are on the clock. I’m sure anyone with young children has the same feeling when dining out. ⁣

The additional fears that accompany going out as a family include: ⁣

💭Will my daughter vomit at the table?⁣

💭Will she accidentally stab herself or one of us in the eye with a fork?⁣

💭Will she refuse the high chair or booster because it is unfamiliar (i.e. scary as hell)? ⁣

💭Will they have something on the menu that she can eat without requiring an immediate bath? ⁣

💭Should we bring 2 cars so that one of us can take her home, so as not to ruin the outing for her siblings? ⁣

💭Are we going to see someone we know who will get to witness how we handle it all? ⁣

💭Will my husband and I feel moderately encouraged or intensely defeated on the drive home. 

⁣💭Will we get in an argument because tensions are high?⁣

We took almost a 2 year break from dining out as a family because the stress wasn’t worth not having to do the dishes. Now we are getting braver, and it helps that our daughter rarely vomits during meals now. 🙏🏻 However, we still decline invitations to go out with other families. For that reason (and countless other reasons I tell myself) invitations have dwindled considerably. Don’t give up on us. Believe me when I say, “It’s not you, it’s us.” We aren’t ready today, but tomorrow could be another story. We know our limits and still enjoy a night out as adults, or hanging out at your place or ours, where we have a little more control. ⁣

P.S. Should we happen to see you on one of those brave outings, enjoy the show! It’ll likely be a good one😉⁣