The New York Times ran an article last week about a new service that sets up kid friendly areas in various city restaurants for a day. Taking over a whole restaurant or setting aside a room and putting out a welcome mat for kids. 

All I could do was shake my head.

“Go south of the border,” I wanted to yell to all those people paying US$50 a plate for the luxury of dining out with their kids without getting dirty looks.

Mexico is the most welcoming place for kids that I’ve ever seen. Forget about hunting down one of the restaurants having a special “kids” day. Stay in your neighborhood and go to the local taqueria that has in ground trampolines.

Or cross the street and lunch on Italian fare in the restaurant with the kids’ play area and on-site nanny. Sip your tequila and enjoy your dinner at the place that entertains kids by letting them make their own pizza.

No need to settle for a Big Mac at a McDonalds with a playground. The sit down restaurants in Mexico are likely to have one too. Even if they don’t, no one’s going to give your kids dirty looks. They’re more likely to pat their heads.

The United States has consistently ranked behind Mexico in recent “World Happiness Reports” – a ranking that’s sure to surprise any silly supporters of building a border wall and that gives rise to various speculations as to cause. 

Social scientist Angus Deaton, for example, explains the lower ranking by positing that people in the United States have lost the “narrative of their lives” because of increasing economic insecurity. 

Perhaps so.

But maybe it’s simpler. Maybe it’s as simple as welcoming  kids to the table more often.