There are two kinds of restaurant dinners with kids.

There are two kinds of restaurant dinners with kids.

The first exists mostly on Instagram. Everyone smiles. Nobody spills. The crayons stay in the box.

The second is real life.

One child is halfway out of their chair. Someone wants more ketchup. The kids' menus become masterpieces. Fries disappear before the entrées arrive. One parent is cutting food while the other is negotiating who gets the blue crayon.

And somehow...it's wonderful.

These are the dinners we'll remember.

Not because everything went according to plan, but because everyone was together.

One day the crayons will stay untouched, the kids' menus won't be needed, and we'll wonder where all that happy chaos went.

For now, we'll happily order another basket of fries.

Because these are the good old days—we just happen to be living in them.