? about eating at restaurant with toddler

chocolatechip06 · March 2010

Do you cover the highchair with a cover/just wipe it down/take your own highchair?

I figure we will eat out occasionally so I'm wondering if a highchair cover is worth it.

CMM05 · March 2010

I did up until about a year......at that point, he would pull it off or he didn't want to sit in the highchair at all

I definitely think the covers are worth it. I used it in shopping carts as well. I wish I could still use one, but there is no way DS1 would let me! ha ha

EastCoastBride · March 2010

I wipe it off. The covers just seem too much for me- more to carry w/ me, etc. I wipe it off, but at the same time, I want my son exposed to some level of germs in order to build up some defenses!

LVBlvd · March 2010

I love mine. I started using it around 6 months and keep it in the car with me at all times. We use it at the grocery store, lunch with girlfriends, and dinners out. I wash it about once a week. I love it because Paige would bend down and chew on the grocery cart if it wasn't there. I can put snacks and toys in it and she has a grand old time!

For me, it is a necessity.

krissyh21 · March 2010

I posted this in Smilees post. I worked in restaurants for years and the high chair is the last thing that comes to mind when waitresses do their side work. So think of the chair being used once a day every day for a year without it EVER getting wiped down. Personally I think it is worth a high chair cover and it would skeeve me not to use one. Yes, using wipes is another option, but I would be nervous to miss a spot.

BoxTer · March 2010

I also had one for the shopping cart that we used to use all the time and it doubled as a high chair protector. I haven't used it in months, though. Now I'll just wipe down the high chair.

somethingchangd · March 2010

I shake the big chunks off and plop his butt in it. Covers/bringing your own seem like overkill to me and Ollie doesn't chew on the chair or anything, so I don't worry about dirt too much. Honestly, I'm in the "a little dirt builds immunity" camp.

TakYelgif · March 2010

CMM05:

I did up until about a year......at that point, he would pull it off or he didn't want to sit in the highchair at all

I definitely think the covers are worth it. I used it in shopping carts as well. I wish I could still use one, but there is no way DS1 would let me! ha ha

This....these days I just wipe it down really well with some disinfectant wipes.

Magoy · March 2010

We used to use the cover when she seemed small to be in the highchair alone. But, it's a pain dragging it in with everything else that we have. I pretty much don't use it at all anymore.

I'm of the "some germs are ok" camp. We eat out a lot. Probably a couple times a week. She's only had two colds her whole life.

If the chair looks dirty, I'll wipe it down. I've even sent one back because it was sticky and just gross looking. But, for the most part, she just goes right in.

mrsolsenk12 · March 2010

I was given a cover as a gift and used it for about a month (from 6-7 months) and then it became a bigger pain than anything. I only used it on grocery carts but now I give him a toy and it keeps him amused. I also do belive is some exposure to germs as they need to build up the defense to keep them healthier. In resturants, I wipe it off and leave it at that. He has never chewed on it or anything and if any food falls on it, I just throw it away.

nickoletta100 · March 2010

CMM05:
I did up until about a year......at that point, he would pull it off or he didn't want to sit in the highchair at all
I definitely think the covers are worth it. I used it in shopping carts as well. I wish I could still use one, but there is no way DS1 would let me! ha ha

we did this

madhatter2003 · March 2010

I also shake the big dirt off and may wipe if it looks really gross, but usually I just plop them down.

I do use a cover in the grocery cart though.

elliek05 · March 2010

somethingchangd:
I shake the big chunks off and plop his butt in it. Covers/bringing your own seem like overkill to me and Ollie doesn't chew on the chair or anything, so I don't worry about dirt too much. Honestly, I'm in the "a little dirt builds immunity" camp.

More or less this. If the chair looks particularly filthy (like not used for a long time), I might have a once-over with a wipe on the tray. If the tray coes off and the chair can be pulled up to the table, though, I almost always do that.

JGirl2005 · March 2010

we have a cover that I bought for half price on baby steals. I don't use it as much as I should. we always forget it. I don't know, they have germs , but as eastcoast said some germs are good.

I see a lot of covers but maybe more the shopping cart covers at marshalls or ross. do you have a ross near you? I guess they have one on baby steals today too, but I didn't check the price.

JGirl2005 · March 2010

we do have a separate cart cover and I do use that - most of the time as DS may try to chew on the grocery carts and I think those are grimier in my opinion.

howleyshell · March 2010

EastCoastBride:
I wipe it off. The covers just seem too much for me- more to carry w/ me, etc. I wipe it off, but at the same time, I want my son exposed to some level of germs in order to build up some defenses!

Never used a cover and I don't think either of them have ever gotten sick from a high chair - although they can be totally disgusting.

My kids get sick from going to story time at the library or to the pedi's office for check ups more than anything else by far.

Mr.&MrsS · March 2010

I just wipe down the high chair (and shopping carts) with antibacterial wipes. The covers are just an extra thing to lug around and I already have enough!!

bride526 · March 2010

I wipe it completely down (strap included) with antibacticial wipes (wet ones)

laura&dan05 · March 2010

I wipe it down and then put a cover down. I LOVE the cover I have. It works in carts and high chairs.

LSUBride3 · March 2010

None of the above. I'm a lazy parent who subscribes to the "germs are good and build up immunities" school of thought

jamalynn · March 2010

Most of the time we use the highchair cover (also our cart cover). But if I don't have it with me, I will just wipe it down. For the first year, I always had DD in the cover but now, I don't think it's as big of a deal. We do use ours though, so I would say it's worth getting.

InACitySoNice · March 2010

We have one of those little green and white portable high chairs that we took with us when we went out and when we ate at the ILs. It was just easier ... if not always cleaner! At least they were her own germs! We also have one at my family's place.

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Healthy-Care-Deluxe-Booster/dp/B0000DEW8N

Kim&Jim · March 2010

I do both. I have a Floppy seat that can be used in shopping carts or high chairs. I was diligent about it when they were little but not as much now. If I don't use the cover, I wiped down the high chair and the table and then put down my disposable placemats for them to eat off of.

LucyPevensie · March 2010

I wipe it down myself (just with wipes or whatever is handy) and then plop him in. He only ever touches the sides with his hands (if that). THIS is the greatest thing ever though for eating out with a toddler:

https://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=21411

****

SeaSoul · March 2010

We just wipe it down with a disinfectant wipe if available, or a baby wipe. I wouldn't want to carry around 1 more thing, plus I'd want to wash it after every time, which would be a pain.

SeaSoul · March 2010

Just want to say that I, too, am in the immunity-building camp, but when it comes to direct contact with objects in such high-traffic places (restaurants, groc stores) during the winter months, I am more concerned about him catching a virus and becoming ill. I'll let him eat dropped food off the floor, gnaw on my shoe, etc., but I don't like the idea of him chewing on the side of a shopping cart where someone's sick kind might just have thrown up, you know?

futrkingsley · March 2010

I have a kid who gets sick easily (one playdate with his cousins who go to preschool and daycare and he's sick for a week). I do not own or use a highchair/shopping cart cover. I wipe them down with a disinfecting wipe, and move on. He isn't the type of kid to lick them or chew on them. And I wipe his hands before and after he eats.

We don't eat out that often (less than once a week most of the time) but we do a lot of shopping with a shopping cart (groceries, target, etc).

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