Jackie Regales of Baltimore, Md., doesn't want to hide in her house just because she has a pair of active 2 1/2-year-old twins. But she also knows she has to be practical about where they go to eat.

"I try to only take them to places I already know are very kid friendly," Regales says. "We have some good local restaurants that love kids, and Pizza Hut usually has tables full of blocks and other kids running around like crazy."

Taking young children out to eat can be an ordeal even with just one child. With twins, the challenges of staying at the table, keeping voices down and waiting patiently (or not) for food are doubled. Regales pretty much has it down to a science, but her big secret to success is letting her kids be kids.

The first thing Regales does right is to choose restaurants that are kid friendly. These places exist for a reason and, within reason, kids should be able to take advantage of that.

Dr. Lisa Medhus, author of Raising Everyday Heroes: Parenting Children to Be Self-Reliant (Beyond Words Publishing, 2004), is also a physician and mother of five children. She has vast experience in dealing with children in public situations. She says realistic expectations regarding the child's ability to understand what is expected of him are crucial when the child is very young.

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