Pong Skrapan in Stockholm

Looking for a family friendly restaurant in Stockholm? We Pong Skrapan in Stockholm during our long weekend! There are a few different Pong locations around the city.

The Pong restaurant we tried is located in the Södermalm area of Stockholm in a mall. Since we were only visiting Stockholm and don't live there, it was the first time we had eaten there. It was also the first time eating indoors since pre-Pandemic. We usually sit outdoors on the patio at restaurants, get takeaway or delivery.

Hungry after walking around the city for hours. An Asian buffet really hit the spot!

We ate at the restaurant for dinner in Sept 2021 and it was 238kr for dinner. There are so many different options, so both kids and parents will be satisfied with what's available. The thing we appreciate about Buffets is that you can take a little of everything and more of what you end up liking. There is also plenty of food kids enjoy like rice, noodles, egg rolls, soup and of course, soft-serve ice cream for dessert!

There was some dim sum items in the steamers including plenty of shrimp items (my favorite!)

And if you are Vegan and wondering if there's anything to eat for you? There's a section with a few Vegan options too, hot and cold items.

Sushi is available in the buffet and the sushi chef is making them fresh to keep up with demand. 

If you want sashimi, it's extra so we didn't try it this time. 

Pong was actually recommended to me as a good place to eat when with family. It's definitely a crowd-pleaser since there's something for everyone. Kids were welcome, and we remembered to bring our own kids utensils and bowls for them. We were also able to park our stroller with one sleeping kid inside the restaurant. 

The restaurant seating area was dimmed and there were plenty of booth tables, so you had your own space and even a place to hang jackets. The staff was really helpful and even gave my child a pen to borrow to practice their 'Big letters'! If you are in Stockholm or visiting, Pong Skrapan is a great place for lunch or dinner, with or without the kids!

Have a great lunch/dinner and when you're exploring the city and remember don't forget your snacks!

Tips for Traveling By Train With Kids

A couple of weekends ago, we traveled by train for the first time in almost 2 years. The last time we took a train trip, we had an infant and a toddler. This time our trip was with a toddler and a preschooler.

Our journey was with SJ trains.

With the express train, you can pre-order food when you book your trip. Class 1 also includes free breakfast on board for morning departures and free coffee / tea and snacks throughout the trip.

We weren't able to book a table in first class this time so we booked a table in second class instead and that was OK for us. One advantage traveling by train versus a car is, you can stand-up, and walk around if you need to stretch!

Here are some Train Ride tips for traveling with kids:

• There are microwaves in the bistro if you want to heat up water or food.

• The fewer bags the better. So you can keep track of bags and don't lose anything.

• Check the train map when booking your ticket to see which way the train is going if you get motion sick and prefer sitting forward.

• Pack some books, something for drawing. We like wipeable book with wipeable markers but also small coloring books and crayons.

The best is when they can keep busy by themselves for even a short time :)

• Water bottle

• Snacks - some snack ideas: hard-boiled eggs, seaweed, bread, cheese, pear, banana, blueberries, olives, nuts (nuts and chocolate for parents).

• Bring some headphones (parents and kids)

• Don't forget phone chargers

• You can pre-order your meals in the food car - Kids meals like pancakes and meatballs (SJ trains).

• Our kids get motion sick, so we packed some vomit packs. It also helped to go stand up in the area by the doors. The air was cooler than in the seating area.
  
  We also bought some "seaband" bracelets from the pharmacy that were suggested by a friend but unfortunately they didn't help much. So I don't recommend them.

• Pack an accessible change of clothes for each child and yourself (just in case!). Ours spilled water all over and we were glad to have the easy to access pants/socks for them.

Have a safe journey and remember don't forget your snacks!

Getting Kids to Brush Their Teeth

In Sweden, they send you a toothbrush and toothpaste in the mail for the baby, even if they don't have their first teeth yet! They want to make it a habit to start brushing teeth/gums from early on. They also want the parents to help with brushing even when the child is a bit older.

A child's first dentist appointment occurs once they turn 1 years old. This is mostly an information meeting though, as they mostly ask the Parent questions about the child's diet and if they are using a soother/pacifier. The dentist might count how many teeth the child has and will also give you a new toothbrush and toothpaste. Of course, parents are welcome to ask whatever questions they are wondering about - from flossing to grinding (this is apparently a normal behavior for kids!)

After that, Kids have a checkup every year, unless they spot something or you are concerned about something with their teeth. For example, my little one complained that her teeth hurt when she would bite down. I asked the dentist about this and they scheduled her for a check-up and did some X-Rays. They said everything looked fine in the X-Rays, but it could have been a few differen things that caused it. She has a tendancy to grind her teeth and bite down really hard, that could cause the pain or she might have accidentally hit her teeth during a fall at school (but the teacher didn't mention anything like that to me). The pain did go away after a week, and I'm glad they were able to look at it right away in case it was something serious.

It can be a challenge getting kids to brush their teeth. They can be too sleepy, or you as a parent might forget since you have a long list of other things to remember to do. 

We've tried so many different toothpaste flavors, from strawberry flavored to mint. Mint has been the current favorite.

We've also tried different toothbrushes. At the beginning she wanted adult size ones to copy us, but then it was baby size ones and then back to kids size.

Recently, we decided to buy an electric toothbrush for our preschooler. The Dentist said it could help encourage her to brush.

Pink and Disney themed. This one from Oral-B comes with different stickers.

The Result: The preschooler was really excisted to have a  new toothbrush! "Mommy, can I brush my teeth" it was music to my ears! Hahaha. I'd definitely recommend an electric toothbrush if it's been a struggle trying to get them to brush teeth.

Thanks for reading and remember don't forget your snacks (But no snacks after brushing teeth!)!