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hvparent.com ■ Hudson Valley Parent 11 Mothers love to have playdates here because their kids can run around safely in the playroom while they enjoy time with their own friends. We also offer Saturday baking classes just for kids, parent/child pie baking classes, and even gluten free items." The fi rst step to a great experience is to seek out kid-friendly restaurants like these, where the atmosphere makes your whole family feel wel- come. Here's some words of wisdom from the restaurants: • Bring children out to eat from an early age and use it as an opportunity to teach them how to sit, behave, and practice proper etiquette. • Establish a relationship with a restaurant and the staff so your children feel welcome. • Let your kids know that going to a restaurant is a treat and include them in the where should-we-go-out-to-eat decision process. Pick three restaurants that you want to go to and let them choose one. • Establish specifi c behavior expectations for eating out before you arrive and enforce and applaud those behaviors throughout your meal. You could also reward good behavior with a special dessert. • Give your kids and yourself a treat by taking them to a restaurant with a designated play area. • Bring things to keep your child occupied. The power of distraction We all know how easily children get bored. At the Red Line and at Yankee Clipper, and at many child-friendly restaurants, children are given crayons and a doodle pad to color. Frida's offers an entire play- room with toys. But don't depend on the restaurant to keep your child oc- cupied. Partesis says when her kids were young she'd bring a bag fi lled with toys to keep the kids busy. The bag was only used when they were dining out so the kids linked going out with the goody bag. With so many child-friendly and child-focused restaurants in the Hudson Valley, there's no reason to refrain from going out to eat with your kids. It might be awhile before you can embark on a candlelit dinner, but once your children understand proper pub- lic behavior, you can graduate them to fancier restaurants over time and save those candlelight dinners for your night out without them. Linda Freeman is a freelance writer living in Marlboro. ...We take care of kids... 4252 Albany Post Rd. (Rt. 9) Hyde Park, NY 12538 845.452.1700 www.childrensmedgroup.com THE PEDIATRICIANS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY SM 'JTILJMMt)PQFXFMM+VODUJPOt)ZEF1BSL ,JOHTUPO.PEFOBt/FXCVSHI 1BXMJOHt1PVHILFFQTJFt3IJOFCFDL We Know Kids. Get to Know Us. Always accepting new patients. Open 365 days a year. Visit our website or call our main number to schedule an appointment with our Docs in the Hyde Park office. Follow us on facebook & twitter Find out why Hudson Valley Parent magazine readers voted 9 of our providers as their "FAVORITE DOCS!" Make an appointment with your favorite doc, and find them on our website. Bobby C. Gearing III, MD Adrian Gruszko, MD Robert Felix, MD The Children's Medical Group is all about kids, and all our providers and staff members excel at what they do. Need a same-day appointment? We've got that. Responsive emergency intervention or superlative care for chronic illness? We're all over that, too. Caring for kids is our life. And we wouldn't have it any other way. Nine "local" offices offer comprehensive medical services from birth through adolescence. Yo hablo español See more kid-friendly restaurants at FamilyDining.HVParent.com